Drought Alert
(Mandatory, up to 20 percent reduction in water use)

• Stop water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation. Repair all leaks within 72 hours of notification by the water district.
• Limit residential and commercial landscape irrigation to no more than three assigned days per week from July 1 to Oct. 31 on the following schedule* (does not apply to commercial growers or nurseries):
• Homes with odd-numbered addresses: Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday
• Homes with even-numbered addresses: Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday
• Apartments, condos and businesses: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Limit lawn watering and landscape irrigation to no more than 10 minutes a station, per assigned day (this does not apply to systems using water efficient devices, such as drip irrigation).
• Irrigate landscape before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. only.
• Stop operating decorative fountains unless they use reclaimed water.
• No washing down of hard surfaces, such as driveways, patios, sidewalks and parking lots with a hose, unless necessary to remove safety or sanitation hazards.
• Wash vehicles with a bucket and hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle. Do not allow runoff to enter the street and storm drain.
• Serve water in restaurants only on request.
• Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.

* The Carlsbad Municipal Water District is evaluating the need to change the irrigation schedule for the fall and winter seasons. As soon as the schedule is determined, it will be posted on this Web page. Until then, the three-day a week irrigation schedule listed above will remain in effect.

Drought Watch
(Voluntary, 10 percent reduction in water use) 

• Irrigate residential and commercial landscape before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. only.
• Repair all water leaks within five days of notification by the water district.
• No washing down of hard surfaces, such as driveways, patios, sidewalks and parking lots with a hose, unless necessary to remove safety or sanitation hazards.
• Stop water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation, and repair any water leaks as soon as possible.
• Wash vehicles with a bucket and hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle. Do not allow runoff to enter the street and stormdrain.
• Serve water in restaurants only on request.
• Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.

Drought Critical
(Mandatory, up to 40 percent reduction in water use) 

• Limit residential and commercial landscape irrigation to no more than two assigned days per week.
• Stop filling or re-filling ornamental lakes or ponds, except to the extent needed to sustain aquatic life.
• Stop washing vehicles except at commercial carwashes that re-circulate water, or by high pressure/low volume wash systems.
• Stop water waste from inefficient landscape irrigation. Repair all leaks within 48 hours of notification by the water district.
• No new potable water service shall be provided and no new temporary or permanent meters will be installed, with certain exceptions included in the ordinance.
• No washing down of hard surfaces, such as driveways, patios, sidewalks and parking lots with a hose, unless necessary to remove safety or sanitation hazards.
• Serve water in restaurants only on request.
• Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.
• The City Council, sitting as the Water District Board, may establish mandatory limits on water use by homes and businesses. A penalty can be assessed for water use above the home or business’s water allocation. 

Drought Emergency
(Mandatory, more than 40 percent reduction in water use)

• Stop all landscape irrigation, except crops and landscape products of commercial growers and nurseries.
• Repair all water leaks within 24 hours of notification by the water district.
• The water district may install a flow restricting device at homes or businesses where the customer has repeatedly violated the provisions of the drought response ordinance.
• Tampering with or removing a flow restriction device may result in termination of service for a period determined by the water district.
• No washing down of hard surfaces, such as driveways, patios, sidewalks and parking lots with a hose, unless necessary to remove safety or sanitation hazards.
• Serve water in restaurants only on request.
• Offer hotel guests the option of not laundering towels and linens daily.
• Water-use limits may be established for residential and commercial customers, with penalties for water use in excess of the limits.