Melbourne Water Restrictions 2026
Brevard County (Space Coast) · Florida
Published: Updated:
Restrictions Active - SJRWMD Phase III Extreme Water Shortage - Effective May 13, 2026
1
Day/Week
Before 8:00 a.m.
Allowed Hours
$50-$250 per violation
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 |
| Even addresses | Thursday |
Allowed Watering Hours
Melbourne is the principal city of Florida's Space Coast (Brevard County). The county is entirely within SJRWMD. Phase III Extreme rules apply: 1 day per week by address parity, no watering 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. any day, 3/4 inch per zone, 1 hour per zone max. The Indian River Lagoon (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway) is saltwater and is not a freshwater source - drought conditions do not directly affect lagoon salinity but the regional freshwater aquifer drawdown is the constraint.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle is permitted any day, any time..
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$50-$250 per violation
City of Melbourne code enforcement issues warnings on first offence. SJRWMD compliance officers patrol the Space Coast.
Citations begin May 13, 2026🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Florida Statute 720.3075 protects homeowners from HOA fines for brown lawns during SJRWMD 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 Melbourne Water Utilities + SJRWMD'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
Melbourne (population ~85,000) is the principal city of Brevard County, home to Florida's Space Coast. The county is entirely within SJRWMD, which escalated to Phase III Extreme Water Shortage on May 13, 2026.
Brevard County's economy is anchored by aerospace and defense: L3Harris Technologies and Northrop Grumman both have major operations in Melbourne. SpaceX, Blue Origin, and NASA operations are concentrated farther north on Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral. Florida Tech (Florida Institute of Technology) is the city's major academic institution. Melbourne International Airport (MLB) is the regional airport.
The Indian River Lagoon - the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway - runs the length of Brevard County and forms the eastern boundary of mainland Melbourne (with the barrier island communities of Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, and Satellite Beach across the lagoon). The lagoon is brackish (saltwater) and is not a freshwater source; drought affects municipal water supply via the Floridan Aquifer rather than via the lagoon.
Florida Statute 720.3075 protects Melbourne homeowners from HOA fines for brown lawns under SJRWMD restrictions. The same Phase III rules apply across all of Brevard County including Palm Bay (Brevard's largest city), Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island, and Rockledge.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Melbourne area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Melbourne Water Restrictions
10 tips tailored for Melbourne homeowners during SJRWMD Phase III Extreme Water Shortage - Effective May 13, 2026 restrictions.
Phase III limits irrigation to 1 day per week: odd Wednesday, even Thursday. Never irrigate 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
St. Augustine grass dominates Melbourne lawns; needs deep 3/4-inch weekly irrigation under Phase III.
Bahia is more drought-tolerant; consider partial conversion. Bahia is well-adapted to Brevard County sandy soils.
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle is permitted any day. Prioritise mature live oaks and palm trees.
Indian River Lagoon is brackish/saltwater: do not draw irrigation water from the lagoon. Drought affects supply via the Floridan Aquifer, not the lagoon.
Coastal barrier island residents (Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Satellite Beach) follow the same SJRWMD Phase III rules as mainland Melbourne.
Install a rain barrel: captured rainwater is unrestricted at every SJRWMD phase.
Mow at 3.5-4 inches and leave clippings on the lawn.
Florida Statute 720.3075 protects you from HOA fines for brown lawns. Brevard County has dense HOA networks in master-planned communities.
Monitor sjrwmd.com and melbourneflorida.org weekly. Palm Bay, Titusville, Cocoa, and Rockledge (other Brevard cities) follow the same Phase III rules.
Melbourne Water Restriction FAQs
What days can I water my lawn in Melbourne?
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Melbourne?
What are the fines for water violations in Melbourne?
Can I install new sod or seed in Melbourne during restrictions?
When will water restrictions end in Melbourne?
Is this Melbourne, FL, or Melbourne, Australia?
L3Harris / Northrop Grumman / SpaceX Cape Canaveral - any industrial exemptions?
Indian River Lagoon is saltwater - does drought affect my Atlantic coast home?
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