Quick answer
In the City of Los Angeles, LADWP customers may run sprinklers three days a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for odd-numbered addresses, or Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday for even-numbered addresses — and only before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m., with no runoff onto hard surfaces. Cities outside LADWP's service area, like Long Beach, Glendale, and many others, have their own water agency with its own schedule, so always confirm your specific provider's current rules.
Your watering days in the City of LA
LADWP's watering schedule is based on the last digit of your street address:
- Odd-numbered addresses (ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9): Monday, Wednesday, Friday
- Even-numbered addresses (ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8): Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
Time of day and runoff rules
Outdoor watering with sprinklers is prohibited from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, regardless of your assigned watering day. Watering in early morning or evening cuts down evaporation, which also means your lawn gets more benefit from the same amount of water.
Runoff onto streets, driveways, or gutters is not allowed, and each station is generally limited to one cycle of up to 8 minutes on standard sprinklers (longer, split cycles are allowed for water-conserving nozzles). Hand watering with a hose that has a self-closing shutoff nozzle is allowed any day, outside the 9 a.m.–4 p.m. window.
How much to water
Most established Southern California lawns do well with roughly 1 inch of water per week total, adjusted up in hot, dry stretches and down after rain — LADWP restricts watering during rain and for 48 hours after it. A simple way to check coverage is a tuna-can test: run sprinklers until about an inch collects in a shallow can and use that as your baseline cycle time.
Other cities have their own rules
These specific days and hours apply to LADWP customers in the City of Los Angeles. If you're served by another agency — such as Long Beach Water, Glendale Water & Power, Pasadena Water and Power, or a local water district elsewhere in LA County — check that agency's website, since watering days, hours, and penalties can differ from LADWP's.
Common questions
Official sources
Rules and programs change. Confirm current details on these pages.
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