Fort Lauderdale Water Restrictions 2026
Broward County · Florida
Published:
Restrictions Active - Year-Round Mandatory – SFWMD Rule 40E-24, F.A.C.
2
Days/Week
Before 10:00 AM
Allowed Hours
$50 to $500 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 | Wednesday & Saturday |
| Even addresses | Thursday & Sunday |
| HOA common areas (no address number) | Tuesday & Friday |
Allowed Watering Hours
SFWMD Rule 40E-24 sets a year-round mandatory schedule for landscape irrigation in southeast Florida: lawn irrigation is limited to 2 days per week, with no sprinkler use any day between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Saturday; even-numbered addresses water Thursday and Sunday; common areas (HOA-managed greenspace, multi-family without unique address numbers) water Tuesday and Friday. Reclaimed water and well water customers follow the same schedule unless their utility ordinance grants an explicit exemption. Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any day, any hour. Vehicle washing must occur over a pervious surface or use an auto shut-off nozzle. Pressure washing is restricted to registered professionals.
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
$50 to $500 escalating per local ordinance
Each city's code-enforcement office handles violations. Typical first-offence fines run $50 to $250 (warning or citation depending on city ordinance); repeat offences escalate to $500 or more. Some cities (Miami, Fort Lauderdale) use water-meter shut-off as the ultimate enforcement step. Year-round rules apply 365 days a year; there is no drought trigger required.
Citations begin Permanent (Rule 40E-24 in force since the 1990s)🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Florida Statute §373.185 prohibits HOAs from fining residents for landscape practices that conserve water, including drought-stressed brown lawns and Florida-Friendly Landscaping. The statute applies under year-round SFWMD restrictions even without a formal drought declaration. HOAs cannot require irrigation schedules that violate SFWMD Rule 40E-24; state and district law preempts deed restrictions.
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 Fort Lauderdale Public Works'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
Fort Lauderdale, FL is part of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and operates under year-round mandatory irrigation restrictions established by SFWMD Rule 40E-24, Florida Administrative Code. These restrictions are permanent and apply every day of every year, they are not a drought declaration and have no expiration date. Most South Florida residents do not realise the 2-day-per-week schedule is the baseline rule rather than a drought response.
Year-round Rule 40E-24 schedule
- Odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Saturday
- Even-numbered addresses water Thursday and Sunday
- Common areas (HOA greenspace, multi-family without unique address numbers) water Tuesday and Friday
- Sprinkler irrigation prohibited every day between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
- Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any time
Fort Lauderdale's water supply comes from the Biscayne Aquifer through the city's own wellfields and treatment infrastructure. The city is the largest in Broward County and serves both residents and several wholesale customer cities. Year-round 2-day-per-week rules under SFWMD Rule 40E-24 are the structural baseline; the canal system and the Intracoastal Waterway are saltwater or brackish and are not potable irrigation sources.
Fort Lauderdale is known as the 'Venice of America' for its 165 miles of navigable waterways. Las Olas Boulevard, the Riverwalk, the A1A beachfront, and Port Everglades define the city's public landscape. Many residential lots are canal-front; others sit on the Intracoastal. None of these waterways are potable or fresh enough for landscape irrigation without serious salt damage. Year-round 40E-24 rules apply identically to canal-front, beachfront, and inland lots.
Separately, in January 2026 SFWMD declared a Modified Phase I Water Shortage Warning for Lee and Collier counties, a voluntary additional reduction. That advisory does not apply to Fort Lauderdale or change the year-round schedule here. Monitor City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works (https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments-i-z/public-works) and SFWMD (https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/water-shortage) for any future district-wide escalation.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Fort Lauderdale area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Fort Lauderdale Water Restrictions
10 tips tailored for Fort Lauderdale homeowners during Year-Round Mandatory – SFWMD Rule 40E-24, F.A.C. restrictions.
Year-round Rule 40E-24 is in effect every day in Fort Lauderdale, programme your controller permanently: odd addresses Wednesday and Saturday, even addresses Thursday and Sunday, no irrigation 10 AM to 4 PM.
Common-area HOA landscape (without a unique address) waters Tuesday and Friday. If you manage an HOA common area, set the controller for those days specifically.
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and microirrigation are permitted any day outside the 10 AM to 4 PM blackout, prioritise mature trees, food crops, and high-value shrubs over turf.
St. Augustine grass is the dominant South Florida turf and the most water-hungry. Under year-round 2-day-per-week rules, expect periods of light browning during dry months, this is normal dormancy, not death.
Bahia is the most drought-tolerant warm-season grass for South Florida and uses ~40 percent less irrigation than St. Augustine. Worth considering for over-seeding or replacement on bare or low-traffic areas.
Florida law (since 1991) requires a working rain sensor on all automatic irrigation systems, verify yours is functional. A stuck rain sensor that does not skip cycles after rain is one of the most common causes of citations.
Mow at 3.5 to 4 inches and mulch clippings, taller grass shades the soil and reduces evapotranspiration in the South Florida humid heat. Sharp blades only; ragged cuts increase moisture loss.
Florida-Friendly Landscaping is protected under FL Statute §373.185 and is an excellent way to reduce reliance on the 2-day-per-week schedule. Native ground covers (sunshine mimosa, perennial peanut) need almost no supplemental water.
Skip your scheduled cycle after any 0.5 inch of rainfall in the prior 48 hours. South Florida's afternoon thunderstorms (May to October) frequently make irrigation unnecessary.
Monitor City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works (https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/government/departments-i-z/public-works) and SFWMD (https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/water-shortage) for any local-ordinance updates or district-wide advisories.
Fort Lauderdale Water Restriction FAQs
What days can I water my lawn in Fort Lauderdale?
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Fort Lauderdale?
What are the fines for water violations in Fort Lauderdale?
Can I install new sod or seed in Fort Lauderdale during restrictions?
When will water restrictions end in Fort Lauderdale?
I have a canal-front lot in Fort Lauderdale, can I use canal water for irrigation?
Does the Riverwalk irrigation follow the same year-round schedule?
Are Las Olas restaurants subject to landscape water restrictions?
How do beachfront properties on A1A handle year-round 2-day/week?
I have a yacht, does washing it count toward the year-round restrictions?
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