On June 20, 2022, the Palo Alto City Council implemented water use restrictions in Stage II of Palo Alto's Water Shortage Contingency Plan and restricted use of potable water (drinking water) for irrigation to no more than two days a week, with some exceptions for tree and plant health, and health and safety needs. This is in addition to State water use restrictions in response to the drought.
It is currently prohibited to irrigate more than two days per week, and between 10am to 6pm. The exceptions apply for functional turf (e.g. playing fields and golf courses), in which there is no limit on irrigation days; those sites can be irrigated as necessary for health and safety. Irrigation is prohibited entirely for non-functional turf unless to protect the health of trees or perennial plants (non-turf), or to address an immediate health and safety need. The two days per week rule applies to ornamental landscapes which includes landscaping for purely decorative purposes, distinguished from trees, edible gardens or landscapes that are functional as well as aesthetic.
Additional water use rules include:
- Always use a hose with a nozzle that shuts off automatically when the handle is released.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean hard surfaces including sidewalks and driveways except for health and safety needs.
- Don’t let water run into streets or gutters. Watering that results in flooding or runoff in gutters, sidewalks, driveways, or streets is prohibited.
- Restaurants are required to only provide water upon request
- Hotels/Motels are to provide guests the option to opt out of daily laundry services
For more about drought restrictions, water conservation tips, and updates, go here.
