Bakersfield Water Restrictions 2026
Kern County · California
Published:
Restrictions Active - City of Bakersfield Stage 2 · Cal Water Stage 1 – Two-Tier Framework
2
Days/Week
Before 9:00 AM
Allowed Hours
City: $50 first · $100 second · $250+ repeat · Cal Water: education-first plus drought surcharge
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
View full address schedule table
| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| City of Bakersfield Water Resources – Odd | Tuesday & Saturday |
| City of Bakersfield Water Resources – Even | Wednesday & Sunday |
| Cal Water Bakersfield District – All addresses (Stage 1) | No fixed day-of-week; mandatory water-waste rules + 15% reduction goal |
Allowed Watering Hours
City of Bakersfield Water Resources customers (most addresses south and east of the Kern River) are under Stage 2: no sprinkler irrigation between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM, 2 days per week by odd/even address. California Water Service customers (most addresses north and west of the Kern River) are under Cal Water's Stage 1 framework: no fixed day-of-week schedule, mandatory water-waste rules in force, with a 15% voluntary reduction goal. CHECK THE TOP OF YOUR WATER BILL – the two utilities have different rules and your address determines which applies.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any day with a shut-off nozzle (both utilities).
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
City: $50 first · $100 second · $250+ repeat · Cal Water: education-first plus drought surcharge
City of Bakersfield Water Resources Code Enforcement issues warnings then $50, $100, $250+ for repeat violations within 12 months under Stage 2. California Water Service is a CPUC-regulated investor-owned utility – its enforcement is primarily education first, with drought-surcharge billing for customers who exceed Stage 1 baseline. Commercial properties under either utility face up to $1,000 per occurrence. Kern County agricultural water users hold separate water rights and are not subject to either residential framework.
Citations begin City of Bakersfield Stage 2 active · Cal Water Stage 1 active🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
California Water Code §10631.5 and Civil Code §4735 prohibit HOA fines for drought-compliant brown lawns during a declared shortage and protect homeowners who reduce irrigation. Both the City of Bakersfield Stage 2 declaration and the Cal Water Stage 1 declaration qualify as state-recognized triggers. If your HOA challenges a brown lawn, document whichever stage applies to your retail address (City or Cal Water) plus the §10631.5 / §4735 citations.
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 California Water Service. 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
Bakersfield is unusual among large California cities: it is served by TWO different water utilities depending on which side of the Kern River your address falls. The City of Bakersfield Water Resources Department serves roughly the southern and eastern portions of the city (south of the Kern River, east of Highway 99 in many areas). California Water Service Company (Cal Water – Bakersfield District), an investor-owned utility regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, serves roughly the northern and western portions. CHECK YOUR WATER BILL to confirm which utility serves your specific address.
City of Bakersfield Water Resources is in Stage 2 of the city's Drought Management Plan: 2 days per week outdoor watering by odd/even address, 9 AM – 6 PM blackout, mandatory rules. Cal Water's Bakersfield District is at Stage 1 in Cal Water's CPUC-approved Water Shortage Contingency Plan: no fixed day-of-week schedule, but mandatory water-waste rules and a 15% reduction goal versus baseline. Cal Water can escalate to Stage 2+ on a CPUC-coordinated timeline if conditions worsen.
Kern County is one of the most water-intensive agricultural counties in the United States – almonds, pistachios, table grapes, citrus, oil-industry produced-water reuse. Agricultural water users hold separate water-supply contracts (Friant-Kern Canal Central Valley Project, Kern County Water Agency State Water Project deliveries, and direct surface rights). The 2026 SWP allocation cut to 30% and reduced Friant-Kern deliveries hit agriculture first, but municipal users see the regional supply pinch reflected in Stage 2 / Stage 1 declarations.
Kern River Valley source water, local groundwater (Kern River Fan aquifer system), and imported State Water Project supply make up Bakersfield's municipal blend. The Kern River is intermittent through the city for most of the year; surface flow is captured upstream for agricultural and municipal use.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Bakersfield area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Bakersfield Water Restrictions
11 tips tailored for Bakersfield homeowners during City of Bakersfield Stage 2 · Cal Water Stage 1 – Two-Tier Framework restrictions.
CHECK YOUR WATER BILL FIRST – Bakersfield has two utilities (City of Bakersfield Water Resources or Cal Water). Different rules apply. Your bill says which.
City of Bakersfield Stage 2 customers: 2 days per week outdoor watering by odd/even, 9 AM – 6 PM blackout. Stricter than Cal Water Stage 1.
Cal Water Stage 1 customers: no fixed day-of-week schedule, but mandatory water-waste rules (no runoff, no hardscape spray-down, hose nozzles required) plus 15% reduction goal versus baseline.
Bakersfield summers regularly hit 100–110°F July–September – warm-season Bermuda is the only Stage-2-friendly grass for the region; St. Augustine and tall fescue brown severely.
Bakersfield's clay-loam soils shed water in under 90 seconds of continuous spray – cycle-and-soak (3 min on, 20-minute pause, 3 min on) is essential.
Mulch ornamental beds 3 inches deep with arborist wood chips – bare soil in Bakersfield's summer loses 0.5+ inches of moisture per day.
Cal Water's Bakersfield District turf-rebate program pays $2/sq ft up to 2,000 sq ft per parcel. City of Bakersfield Water Resources has a separate rebate via bakersfieldcity.us/400/Drought.
Drip-irrigate all trees, shrubs, and vegetable beds – exempt from day-of-week limits under both utility frameworks.
Install a smart controller with rain sensor – both utilities offer rebates of $80 on WaterSense-labeled units.
Skip your scheduled cycle after 0.5 inch of rainfall in the prior 48 hours – California requires rain sensors on systems installed after 1991.
Track weekly use at your utility's My Account portal – reductions are tracked against a 2020 baseline under both frameworks.
Bakersfield Water Restriction FAQs
What days can I water my lawn in Bakersfield?
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Bakersfield?
What are the fines for water violations in Bakersfield?
Can I install new sod or seed in Bakersfield during restrictions?
When will water restrictions end in Bakersfield?
Cal Water is private, not city-run – does CPUC oversight change my rules?
I see two water bills – Cal Water for one address, City of Bakersfield for another. Different rules?
Kern County agriculture uses most of the water – why am I restricted?
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