Spring & Summer Watering Restrictions

Time-of-Day Watering Ordinance
Annually, April 1 - October 31
No sprinkler usage from 11 am to 7 pm

The Water Authority adopted new watering restrictions for the months of April through October. Use of sprinklers is now prohibited between 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This time coincides with the hottest, windiest period of the day in our service area. Use of a handheld hose or watering can is allowed during this time period, but it is most efficient to conduct all watering in the early morning hours.

Watering during our hot, windy spring and summer days can cause over half of your water to miss its mark due to evaporation and wind drift! Research shows that the best time to water is in the early morning between midnight and sunrise, when humidity is high but temperatures and wind speed are low. If morning watering isn’t practical for you, try watering in the evening. If you were watering during the daytime before, you’ll find you are now able to water less while keeping your plants healthy and attractive.

Whether you choose to water in the mornings or evenings, be alert to weather conditions. If it is windy or rainy, postpone watering until conditions are more appropriate.

To apply for a watering restriction variance please click here.

Note: Failure to follow time of day restrictions is a violation of the Water Utility Water Conservation and Water Waste Ordinance. Such a violation could result in fee assessment(s) on your water bill. Assessments increase in amount depending on the account's violation history. If a time of day violation is the first water waste violation against an account, the fee is $20.00. HOWEVER, if an account has previous violations, a first time of day violation could have an assessment amount of up to $2000.00.

Time-of-day provisions do not apply to the following circumstances:

• Using drip irrigation, bubblers, hand watering, or other systems that do not propel water through the air;
• One day only exemption (Click Here) where treatment with an application of chemical requires immediate watering to preserve the existing landscape or to establish a new landscape.
• One day only exemption (Click Here) to allow for spray irrigation necessary where the irrigation system has been disabled for longer than forty-eight hours and immediate watering is required to preserve the existing landscape.
• 30 day exemption (Click Here) allowing for spray irrigation necessary to establish new sod.
• 45 day exemption (Click Here) to allow for spray irrigation necessary to establish inter-seeded (also known as reseeded) within an existing turf area.
• 120 day variance (Click Here) allowing for spray irrigation to establish newly seeded areas with the intent of establishing a turf area.
• Water used to control dust or compact soil;
• Attended watering systems that have one or more repair or maintenance personnel present at the irrigated zone being serviced for purposes of inspecting system condition and function and/or repairing or maintaining the watering system.

Report violations online

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Data collected at Los Lunas NM Agricultural Science Center from April through September 1996