Gilbert Water Restrictions 2026
Maricopa County · Arizona
Published:
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation - SRP + Colorado River Tier 2
2
Days/Week
Before 8:00 AM
Allowed Hours
Up to $500 per offense
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd | Tuesday & Friday |
| Even | Wednesday & Saturday |
Allowed Watering Hours
No outdoor irrigation between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Stage 2 limits residential irrigation to 2 days per week (down from the 3-day permanent baseline). No irrigation Sunday or Monday under Stage 2; commercial properties contact Gilbert Water Resources for the assigned commercial schedule.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any day with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle, before 8:00 AM or after 6:00 PM..
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
Up to $500 per offense
Town of Gilbert ordinance authorises civil penalties up to $500 per offense for outdoor watering violations during a declared Stage 2 conservation period, with progressive escalation for repeat offenders. Commercial properties face higher administrative penalties under the town's Public Works enforcement framework. Gilbert uses AMI smart-meter data to flag off-schedule consumption and dispatches Water Resources staff for field verification. Report violations to Gilbert Public Works at (480) 503-6200.
Citations begin September 2025🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Arizona Revised Statute §33-1902 prohibits HOAs from fining residents for brown or dormant lawns during a declared water shortage. ARS §33-1808 explicitly protects the right to install desert-adapted xeriscape regardless of HOA covenants. Gilbert's Stage 2 declaration triggers these statutory protections, keep a copy of the town's conservation order if your HOA sends a violation notice. The Arizona Department of Real Estate handles HOA complaint filings.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the Town of Gilbert Public Works, Water Resources's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
The Town of Gilbert serves roughly 270,000 residents and draws supply from the Salt River Project (SRP) surface-water system, the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Colorado River allocation, and limited local groundwater. Like neighbouring Mesa and Chandler, Gilbert is heavily dependent on SRP and CAP imports, combined SRP storage at 52% of capacity (below the 60% trigger) plus the ongoing Colorado River Tier 2 Shortage at Lake Mead (cutting Arizona's CAP allocation by 21%) forced activation of Stage 2. Gilbert was one of the East Valley municipalities cited by the Arizona Department of Water Resources in its 2023 groundwater-model assessment as fully reliant on imported renewable supply for new development. The town's 2026 Stage 2 declaration coordinates with Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, and Tempe through the Maricopa Association of Governments water-policy committee.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Gilbert area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Gilbert Water Restrictions
11 tips tailored for Gilbert homeowners during Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation - SRP + Colorado River Tier 2 restrictions.
Gilbert's East Valley clay-loam and caliche soils need cycle-and-soak: 2 minutes on, 30-minute pause, 2 minutes on, rather than one continuous run that sheds off hardpan.
Bermuda is the only practical summer turf in Gilbert, accept golden-brown winter dormancy rather than overseed with ryegrass, which doubles winter water use.
Apply 3 inches of decomposed granite or pea gravel over ornamental beds; wood-chip mulch dries out within weeks in Gilbert's low-humidity summer.
Replace front-yard turf using the regional Water, Use It Wisely rebate framework, Gilbert participates in the metro xeriscape conversion program.
Install subsurface drip on shrubs and trees; topical drip cracks under direct Arizona UV within 2 seasons.
Use a smart controller with the SRP/Arizona ET preset, Rachio, Hydrawise, and RainMachine all ship Phoenix-area climate defaults.
Mow Bermuda at 1–1.5 inches in summer to shade the crown; raise to 1.5 inches under heat stress to encourage deeper roots.
Fix leaks within 24 hours, Gilbert's summer evaporation can waste 400+ gallons per night from a single stuck valve or broken sprinkler head.
Harvest AC condensate for potted plants and shrubs, a 3-ton AC produces 5–20 gallons per day in Gilbert summers and is exempt from schedule limits.
Monsoon strategy (July–September): skip the next scheduled irrigation cycle after any 0.5-inch+ rainfall; deep monsoon rain resets soil moisture for 7–10 days.
Track usage at gilbertaz.gov via your Town of Gilbert utility account, Stage 2 targets a 10% reduction versus your prior-year baseline.
Gilbert Water Restriction FAQs
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