Phoenix Water Restrictions 2026
Maricopa County · Arizona
Published:
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 Drought Response - Colorado River Tier 2 Shortage Active
2
Days/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$250 first · $500 second · $1,000 egregious
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd | Monday |
| Even | Tuesday |
| Multi-family / HOA common | Wednesday |
Allowed Watering Hours
Stage 2 narrows the permanent odd/even 3-day baseline to 1 day/week for residential. No Sunday irrigation any season. No irrigation between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Maximum 6 minutes per zone per watering day during Stage 2.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any day with a shut-off nozzle; drip and micro-irrigation exempt from schedule.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$250 first · $500 second · $1,000 egregious
Phoenix Water Services issues a written warning on first detection, then $250 for second offense, $500 for third, and up to $1,000 for egregious violations (visible runoff, mid-day irrigation during Stage 2, unauthorized fill of decorative fountains). Commercial and HOA properties face up to $2,500. Repeat residential violators can have flow-restrictors installed on the meter.
Citations begin August 2025 (Stage 2) · permanent baseline since 2005🏠 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 allows desert-adapted xeriscape as a protected form of landscaping, HOAs cannot require grass-based yards. Document your Phoenix Stage 2 compliance if your HOA sends a violation notice.
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 current restriction order from City of Phoenix Water Services + Salt River Project. 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
Phoenix receives roughly 40% of its supply from Salt River Project (SRP) surface water, 40% from the Central Arizona Project (Colorado River), and the remainder from groundwater and reclaimed sources. SRP combined storage stood at 52% of capacity as of April 2026, the trigger for automatic Stage 2 activation is 60%. Simultaneously, Lake Mead sits at elevation 1,050.02 ft under a Tier 2 Shortage declaration that cuts Arizona's Colorado River allocation by 21%. Phoenix received only 2.1 inches of rainfall between October 2025 and April 2026, 4.3 inches below the normal seasonal average of 6.4 inches. The city is the largest US city west of Texas facing simultaneous local-supply and Colorado River shortages.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Phoenix area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Phoenix Water Restrictions
11 tips tailored for Phoenix homeowners during Stage 2 Drought Response - Colorado River Tier 2 Shortage Active restrictions.
Bermuda is the only practical summer lawn in Phoenix, accept golden-brown winter dormancy rather than overseed with ryegrass (prohibited under Stage 2).
Mow Bermuda at 1–1.5" in summer to encourage deep roots and shade the crown; raise to 1.5" under drought stress.
Apply 3 inches of decomposed granite or pea gravel as mulch around ornamentals, tree bark mulch dries out too fast in Phoenix heat.
Replace front lawn with Water Use It Wisely's Desert-Friendly plant palette: Red Yucca, Desert Spoon, Blue Palo Verde, all qualify for the $2/sq ft rebate.
Install subsurface drip on shrubs and trees, topically exposed drip lines crack in Phoenix's UV within 2 seasons.
Use a smart controller with a Phoenix-specific ET (evapotranspiration) adjustment; Rachio, Hydrawise, and RainMachine all ship Phoenix climate presets.
Group irrigation by plant type (hydrozone): desert natives on one valve, mid-water shrubs on another, any remaining turf on a third.
Fix leaks within 48 hours, Phoenix's summer evaporation rate means a stuck valve wastes 500+ gallons per night.
Harvest AC condensate for potted plants, a 3-ton AC produces 5–20 gallons/day in Phoenix summers and is exempt from all restrictions.
Take advantage of monsoon rain July–September: skip 1–2 irrigation cycles after any measurable storm to reset deep soil moisture.
Track monthly use at phoenix.gov 'My Account', Stage 2 targets a 10% reduction versus prior year with progressive surcharges above 120% of baseline.
Phoenix Water Restriction FAQs
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