Last updated:
Last verified: October 6, 2026, against St. Johns River Water Management District.
Jacksonville watering rules right now
Duval County is under a Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage. Landscape irrigation is limited to one day a week and prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Odd or no address waters Saturday, even address waters Sunday, nonresidential waters Tuesday.
| Property | Watering day | Allowed hours |
|---|---|---|
| Residential, odd-numbered or no address | Saturday | Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Residential, even-numbered address | Sunday | Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Nonresidential | Tuesday | Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
An odd address ends in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9. An even address ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8. Irrigation is capped at three-quarters of an inch per zone and one hour per zone on your day.
Read from the St. Johns River Water Management District on 31 August 2026. Duval is one of the counties named in the shortage order.
Two things changed when the order went to Phase III
If you set your controller from a page written earlier in the year, or from memory, it is probably wrong in one of these two ways. Both matter, and one of them is a violation that happens every single cycle.
1. The prohibited window widened from six hours to ten. The District’s normal year-round rule bans irrigation between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Under the Phase III order the ban runs 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A programme that starts at 9 a.m. was legal under the standard rule and is not legal now. So is one that starts at 5 p.m.
2. The establishment allowance for new sod was cut roughly in half. This is the one that costs money rather than a fine, and it is buried in the order.
| New plants or sod | Normal District rule | Under the Phase III order |
|---|---|---|
| Water any day | First 30 days, any time of day | First 15 days |
| Middle of establishment | Every other day for the next 30 days | Up to 3 days a week for the next 30 days |
| End of establishment | — | 2 days a week for the final 15 days |
| Total window | One 60-day period | 60 days, tapered |
The total is still sixty days either way. What halved is the part that decides whether sod knits: the daily-watering window at the start. Fifteen days instead of thirty, in the season a new lawn is least able to cope with a missed cycle. That is a scheduling fact worth knowing before you buy pallets, not after.
The two caps most controllers break by default
Even on the correct day, in the correct hours, two limits apply and they are easy to exceed without noticing.
- No more than three-quarters of an inch of water per zone per irrigation day.
- No more than one hour per irrigation zone per irrigation day.
Once a week is not a licence to make up for the other six days in one run. If your system was set for a two-day-a-week schedule and you simply deleted one of the days, each remaining zone is probably still running the same minutes, and the three-quarter-inch cap is the one being broken rather than the day rule.
Catch-cup testing is the only way to know what your zones actually apply, and it is genuinely quick: set out straight-sided containers, run one zone for fifteen minutes, measure, multiply. Most Jacksonville rotor zones need well under an hour to reach three-quarters of an inch, and most spray zones need far less than that.
The exceptions that are actually allowed
- New landscape establishment, on the tapered Phase III schedule above, limited to the minimum amount necessary for establishment.
- Watering in chemicals — insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides — is allowed any time within 24 hours of application when required by law, the manufacturer, or best management practices.
- Maintenance and repair. Irrigation systems may be operated at any time for maintenance and repair purposes, not exceeding 20 minutes per hour per zone. This is the legal route to testing a system, walking the heads, and finding overspray on a day that is not your watering day. Most people do not know it exists.
What the restrictions cover, and who is not exempt
The limits apply to private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities alike. A private well is not a way around the schedule. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility’s schedule, which can assign different days and times than the District’s default.
Golf courses under the order reduce fairway and driving range green irrigation to no more than once a week, and tees, greens and practice greens to no more than three times a week, excluding irrigation with a 100% reclaimed water source.
The order covers portions of Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties within the District, among others. Local governments implement it through their own ordinances, so a city or utility may hold stricter hours than the District’s baseline. The District’s water conservation coordinators are on 386-329-4500.
What the schedule returns to when the order lifts
Worth knowing, because it is what your controller should go back to rather than what it was doing before.
| Time of year | Odd or no address | Even address | Nonresidential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight saving time, second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November | Wednesday and Saturday | Thursday and Sunday | Tuesday and Friday |
| Eastern Standard Time, first Sunday in November to second Sunday in March | Saturday | Sunday | Tuesday |
Under the normal schedule irrigation is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and the three-quarter-inch and one-hour-per-zone caps still apply. Note that the winter schedule is already one day a week in a normal year, so the Phase III order is doing most of its work during daylight saving time.
Frequently asked questions
What day can I water my lawn in Jacksonville right now? One day a week under the Phase III Extreme Water Shortage order. Residential addresses ending in an odd number, or with no address, water Saturday. Even-numbered addresses water Sunday. Nonresidential properties water Tuesday.
What hours can I water in Jacksonville? Any time except between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. under the Phase III order. That is wider than the District’s normal 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. prohibition, so a controller set from the standard rule may now be starting inside the banned window.
How much water am I allowed per zone in Jacksonville? No more than three-quarters of an inch of water per zone and no more than one hour per zone on your irrigation day. Those caps apply on top of the day and hour rules, not instead of them.
Can I water new sod more often in Jacksonville? Yes, on a tapered schedule under the current order: every day for the first 15 days after installation, up to three days a week for the next 30 days, and two days a week for the final 15 days. In a normal year the District allows any time of day on any day for the first 30 days and every other day for the next 30.
Do the restrictions apply to my private well? Yes. The restrictions apply to private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities.
Can I run my sprinklers to test or repair them? Yes. Irrigation systems may be operated at any time for maintenance and repair purposes, not exceeding 20 minutes per hour per zone. That covers walking the heads and checking for overspray on a non-watering day.
Can I water after applying fertilizer or pesticide? Yes. Watering in chemicals, including insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides, is allowed any time within 24 hours of application when required by law, the manufacturer, or best management practices.
Which counties does the Jacksonville water shortage order cover? Portions of Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties within the District, among others. Local governments implement it through their own ordinances and some hold stricter hours.
What happens when the Phase III order is lifted? The District’s standard schedule resumes: two days a week during daylight saving time, with odd or no addresses on Wednesday and Saturday, even addresses on Thursday and Sunday, and nonresidential on Tuesday and Friday, with irrigation prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Could the Jacksonville restrictions get stricter? Yes. The District’s water shortage plan allows further phases with additional restrictions if conditions deteriorate, and staff monitor rainfall, groundwater levels, river flows and water use continuously.
Related Jacksonville Lawn Resources
Jacksonville Watering Rules: Data
Current rules as observed, with every change we have recorded since tracking began. Source of record: JEA / St. Johns River WMD.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Residential, odd-numbered or no address | Watering day: Saturday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Residential, even-numbered address | Watering day: Sunday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Nonresidential | Watering day: Tuesday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Water any day | Watering day: First 30 days , any time of day; Allowed hours: First 15 days |
| Middle of establishment | Watering day: Every other day for the next 30 days; Allowed hours: Up to 3 days a week for the next 30 days |
| End of establishment | Watering day: —; Allowed hours: 2 days a week for the final 15 days |
| Total window | Watering day: One 60-day period; Allowed hours: 60 days, tapered |
| Daylight saving time, second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November | Watering day: Wednesday and Saturday; Allowed hours: Thursday and Sunday; Tuesday and Friday |
| Eastern Standard Time, first Sunday in November to second Sunday in March | Watering day: Saturday; Allowed hours: Sunday; Tuesday |
Change log
| First observed | Status | Rules recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-31 | current | Residential, odd-numbered or no address: Watering day: Saturday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Residential, even-numbered address: Watering day: Sunday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Nonresidential: Watering day: Tuesday; Allowed hours: Any time except 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| 2026-08-27 | superseded 2026-08-31 | Odd-numbered: Watering day: Saturday; Allowed hours: Any time except 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (JEA suggests 8 p.m.; Even-numbered: Watering day: Sunday; Allowed hours: Any time except 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (JEA suggests 8 p.m.–4; Hand / low-volume: Watering day: Generally any day; Allowed hours: Confirm current terms with JEA during the |
| 2026-08-27 | superseded 2026-08-27 | Odd-numbered: Watering day: Saturday; Allowed hours: Any time except 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (JEA suggests 8 p.m.; Even-numbered: Watering day: Sunday; Allowed hours: Any time except 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (JEA suggests 8 p.m.–4; Hand / low-volume: Watering day: Generally any day; Allowed hours: Confirm current terms with JEA during the |
| 2026-08-27 | superseded 2026-08-27 | Summary: Quick answer: As of June 2026, Jacksonville and Duval County are under a SJRWMD Phase II W; Summary: The order took effect March 2, 2026 and covers potable and reclaimed water alike. JEA reco |
Last checked: 2026-08-31. A new row is added only when the observed rules change, so this log records what changed and when we saw it.
Cite this: “Jacksonville Watering Rules: Data,” updated 2026-08-31, https://jacksonvilleprolandscape.com/jacksonville-watering-restrictions/#watering-rules-dataset
Is there a water restriction in my area?
Yes, and it applies regardless of your water source. The limits cover private wells and pumps, ground and surface water, and public and private utilities alike, so a well is not a way around the schedule. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility, which can assign different days. Jacksonville Pro Landscape schedules irrigation to match.
Does a private well get around the watering schedule?
No. The limits apply to private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities alike, so a well is not a way around the schedule. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility’s schedule, which can assign different days and times. Jacksonville Pro Landscape sets Jacksonville controllers to match.
Can an irrigation system be tested on a non-watering day?
Yes. Systems may be operated at any time for maintenance and repair, not exceeding 20 minutes per hour per zone. That window covers running a test cycle, walking the heads and finding overspray without breaking the schedule. Crews at Jacksonville Pro Landscape use it for repair visits across Jacksonville.
Can a sprinkler system be tested on a non-watering day?
Yes. Irrigation systems may be operated at any time for maintenance and repair purposes, not exceeding 20 minutes per hour per zone. That covers walking the heads, checking coverage and finding overspray on a day that is not the property’s watering day. Jacksonville Pro Landscape uses that window for system checks across Jacksonville.
Does having a private well allow watering on any day?
No. The limits apply to private wells and pumps, ground or surface water, and water from public and private utilities alike, so a well is not a way around the schedule. Systems may still run for maintenance and repair at any time, not exceeding 20 minutes per hour per zone. Jacksonville Pro Landscape handles that testing across Jacksonville.
Which water sources do the SJRWMD watering restrictions apply to?
The St. Johns River Water Management District watering restrictions apply to every water source. The limits cover private wells and pumps, ground and surface water, and public and private utilities alike. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility, which can assign different days. In Jacksonville, Jacksonville Pro Landscape schedules irrigation to match.
Who do the SJRWMD watering restrictions apply to?
The St. Johns River Water Management District watering restrictions apply to every water source, including private wells and pumps, ground and surface water, and public and private utilities. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility, which can assign different days. Jacksonville Pro Landscape schedules irrigation across Jacksonville to match those limits.
Do the SJRWMD watering restrictions apply to every water source?
Yes. The St. Johns River Water Management District watering restrictions apply to every water source, including private wells and pumps, ground and surface water, and public and private utilities. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility, which can assign different days. Jacksonville Pro Landscape schedules irrigation across Jacksonville to match those limits.
Which day can a Duval County property water under the shortage order?
Duval County is under a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage, which limits landscape irrigation to one day a week and bans it between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Residential properties with an odd or no address water Saturday, even addresses Sunday, and nonresidential properties Tuesday. Jacksonville Pro Landscape sets irrigation schedules in Jacksonville to match these limits.
Do the watering restrictions apply to homes on utility water in Duval County?
Yes. The limits apply to water from public and private utilities alike, as well as private wells and pumps and ground or surface water. The order covers portions of Duval County, and local governments implement it through their own ordinances. Reclaimed water customers should check their own utility’s schedule. Jacksonville Pro Landscape keeps Jacksonville irrigation systems within these limits.