Fernandina Beach Water Restrictions 2026
Nassau County · Florida
Published: Updated:
Restrictions Active - Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage – SJRWMD Order 2026-006
1
Day/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$100 first violation; escalating per local ordinance
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
View full address schedule table
| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd addresses | Saturday |
| Even addresses | Sunday |
Allowed Watering Hours
Modified Phase II rules under SJRWMD Order 2026-006: lawn and landscape irrigation is limited to 1 day per week. Odd-numbered addresses water Saturday only; even-numbered addresses water Sunday only. Sprinkler irrigation is prohibited every day between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Maximum 3/4 inch per zone and 1 hour per zone on your assigned day. Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any day, any hour. Reclaimed water customers follow the same 1-day-per-week schedule unless their utility ordinance grants an explicit exemption.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle is permitted any day outside the 10 AM to 4 PM blackout window. Drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any time..
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$100 first violation; escalating per local ordinance
Local utility staff respond to complaints and conduct neighbourhood patrols. First violations typically carry a $100 fine; repeat offences escalate per local ordinance (commonly $200, $500, and final-step service review). The SJRWMD asks utilities to enforce consistently across NE Florida, escalation to Phase III (0 days/week) is the next step if conditions worsen.
Citations begin March 2, 2026🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
SJRWMD Order 2026-006 explicitly prohibits HOAs and community associations from enforcing deed restrictions or community standards that would cause violation of the order. Florida Statute §373.185 separately prohibits HOA penalties for drought-compliant brown lawns. If your HOA challenges a brown lawn, document the SJRWMD order plus FL Statute §373.185 and respond in writing.
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 Fernandina Beach Utilities'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
Fernandina Beach, FL is part of the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) service area. On March 2, 2026 the SJRWMD Governing Board issued Order 2026-006 declaring a Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage across northeast Florida, the first regional Phase II order in more than a decade. The order remains in active enforcement as of May 7, 2026.
Phase II cuts outdoor irrigation from the SJRWMD baseline of 2 days per week (Daylight Saving Time) to 1 day per week. Specifically
- Odd-numbered addresses water Saturday only
- Even-numbered addresses water Sunday only
- Sprinkler irrigation prohibited every day between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
- Maximum 3/4 inch per zone and 1 hour per zone on your assigned day
- Hand watering, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any time outside the daytime blackout
The Floridan Aquifer is the primary regional groundwater source for Fernandina Beach and the rest of NE Florida. City of Fernandina Beach Utilities draws from the Floridan; declining aquifer levels and reduced spring flows (Silver Springs, Blue Springs, and other major artesian formations) are the leading indicators that triggered the Phase II declaration. The Floridan extends across FL, GA, AL, and SC and is a shared interstate resource, drawdowns upstream (notably in metro Atlanta) and within Florida both contribute to the current decline.
Fernandina Beach is the only city on Amelia Island and the northernmost Atlantic-coast city in Florida. Its Victorian-era downtown historic district is on the National Register, and the city has a long industrial history, Rayonier's pulp and paper operations have been a major employer (and a major industrial water user) on the island for over a century. Rayonier holds a separate industrial water permit through SJRWMD; its process water is governed by that permit rather than by the residential Phase II framework. Resort and conference areas at Amelia Island Plantation and the Ritz-Carlton operate within Nassau County jurisdiction but are served by Fernandina Beach city utilities for landscape irrigation. Fort Clinch State Park, at the island's northern tip, follows National Park Service / Florida State Parks landscape protocols which align with Phase II for irrigated landscape areas.
Monitor City of Fernandina Beach Utilities (https://www.fbfl.us/249/Utilities) and SJRWMD (https://www.sjrwmd.com/wateringrestrictions/) for status updates. If conditions worsen, the next escalation step is Phase III, which would prohibit landscape irrigation entirely until conditions improve.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Fernandina Beach area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Fernandina Beach Water Restrictions
10 tips tailored for Fernandina Beach homeowners during Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage – SJRWMD Order 2026-006 restrictions.
Modified Phase II is in active enforcement in Fernandina Beach, programme your controller now: odd addresses Saturday, even addresses Sunday. No watering 10 AM to 4 PM any day.
Maximum 3/4 inch per zone on your assigned day. Use the tuna-can test (place a clean tuna can in the spray pattern; stop the cycle when it fills 3/4 inch, typically 20 to 35 minutes per zone).
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any day outside 10 AM to 4 PM, prioritise mature trees and high-value shrubs over turf.
St. Augustine grass dominates NE Florida lawns and is the most water-hungry of Florida's common turfgrasses. Under 1-day-per-week rules expect noticeable browning; this is dormancy, not death. Recovery is fast once rain returns.
Bahia is the most drought-tolerant warm-season grass for FL and uses ~40% less irrigation than St. Augustine, worth considering for over-seeding or replacement on bare areas.
Bermuda and Zoysia tolerate Phase II better than St. Augustine. If your lawn is mixed, the Bermuda areas may stay greener while St. Augustine browns.
Mow at 3.5 to 4 inches and mulch clippings, taller grass shades the soil and reduces evapotranspiration. Sharp blades only; ragged cuts increase moisture loss.
Skip nitrogen fertiliser through summer, it forces growth the lawn cannot support during restricted watering.
Skip your scheduled cycle after any 0.5 inch of rainfall in the prior 48 hours, install a rain sensor (Florida law requires one on all systems built since 1991) to make this automatic.
Monitor City of Fernandina Beach Utilities (https://www.fbfl.us/249/Utilities) and SJRWMD (https://www.sjrwmd.com/wateringrestrictions/) weekly for stage updates. The next escalation step is Phase III (0 days per week) if conditions worsen.
Fernandina Beach Water Restriction FAQs
What days can I water my lawn in Fernandina Beach?
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Fernandina Beach?
What are the fines for water violations in Fernandina Beach?
Can I install new sod or seed in Fernandina Beach during restrictions?
When will water restrictions end in Fernandina Beach?
Does Rayonier's industrial water use count against the city's Phase II reduction goals?
I live in the Fernandina Beach historic district, same considerations as St. Augustine?
Are the Amelia Island Plantation / Ritz-Carlton resort areas covered by city Phase II rules?
Does Fort Clinch State Park need to follow city Phase II?
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