Mesa Water Restrictions 2026
Maricopa County · Arizona
Published:
Restrictions Active - Demand Reduction Stage 2 - SRP 52% + Colorado River Tier 2
2
Days/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$200 first · $400 second
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd | Monday & Thursday |
| Even | Tuesday & Friday |
Allowed Watering Hours
No outdoor irrigation between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Stage 2 limits irrigation to 2 days/week (permanent baseline is 3). No irrigation Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any day with a shut-off nozzle.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$200 first · $400 second
Mesa issues citations of $200 for first residential offenses and $400 for second. Commercial properties face up to $2,500. Mesa's Water Conservation team uses neighborhood patrol plus AMI smart-meter flagging for off-schedule irrigation.
Citations begin August 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 protects xeriscape rights. Mesa's Stage 2 ordinance supersedes conflicting HOA rules.
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 City of Mesa 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
Mesa is the largest water user in the East Valley, serving 530,000 customers. The city relies 87% on Salt River Project (SRP) surface water and Colorado River deliveries via the Central Arizona Project (CAP). SRP combined storage at 52% of capacity and a 21% cut to CAP allocation under the Colorado River Tier 2 Shortage have forced activation of Stage 2. Mesa's population grew 12% between 2015 and 2025, adding demand even as imported supply was reduced.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Mesa area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Mesa Water Restrictions
11 tips tailored for Mesa homeowners during Demand Reduction Stage 2 - SRP 52% + Colorado River Tier 2 restrictions.
Mesa's population growth over the past decade means newer subdivisions have less turf by design, focus remaining irrigation on mature trees rather than expanding lawn.
Bermuda thrives in Mesa summer heat on 2 days/week; accept winter dormancy rather than overseed with ryegrass.
Apply 3 inches of decomposed granite over ornamental beds; pea gravel and rock mulch outperform wood chips in Mesa's low-humidity summer.
Replace front-yard turf under the Mesa Xeriscape Rebate ($2/sq ft), parkway strips and narrow side yards are the easiest removal zones.
Install subsurface drip on all shrubs and trees, topical drip lines crack within 2 seasons under Mesa sun.
Use a smart controller with the Arizona ET preset; WaterSense-labeled controllers earn Mesa rebates up to $100.
Fix leaks within 24 hours, Mesa's evaporation rate can waste 500 gallons per night from a single stuck valve.
Harvest AC condensate, a 3-ton AC produces 5–20 gallons/day in Mesa summers and is exempt from all schedule limits.
Cycle-and-soak on hardpan: 2 minutes on, 30-minute pause, 2 minutes on, essential on Mesa's caliche-layered soils.
Monsoon strategy: skip the next scheduled irrigation cycle after any 0.5"+ rainfall, monsoon rain resets soil moisture for 10+ days.
Track use at mesaaz.gov 'My Account', Stage 2 targets 110 gal/person/day total household consumption.
Mesa Water Restriction FAQs
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