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Florida watering guide
Find your legal watering day, see the current drought rules for Lake and Sumter County, and learn how much water your lawn really needs.
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Watering day finder
When can I water?
Pick your area and type your house number. We'll show your watering day, the hours you're allowed to water, and your next watering date.
Your watering day will show here.Choose your area and enter your house number.
Rules last checked October 23, 2026. Some cities set stricter hours, and reclaimed-water customers can have their own schedule. If your utility or HOA tells you something different, follow your utility.
Watering rules at a glance
What's in effect right now
Lake and Sumter County are in a drought, and both water districts in our area have tightened the rules to one day a week.
| Area | Rule in effect | Your watering day | Allowed hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake CountyTavares, Mount Dora, Eustis, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Howey-in-the-Hills, The Villages (Lake side) | Phase III water shortageSt. Johns River Water Management District, since May 11, 2026 | Odd or no address: Saturday Even address: Sunday Business: Tuesday |
Before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. |
| Sumter County & The VillagesWildwood, The Villages (Sumter and Marion sides) | Modified Phase III water shortageSouthwest Florida Water Management District, through March 31, 2027 | Ends in 0 or 1MondayEnds in 2 or 3TuesdayEnds in 4 or 5WednesdayEnds in 6 or 7Thursday8, 9 or no numberFriday | 12:01–4 a.m. or 8–11:59 p.m.Under one acre: pick one of the two windows |
Normal schedule, once the water shortage ends
| Area | Odd or no address | Even address | Business / common areas | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake CountyDaylight saving time (March–November) | Wednesday & Saturday | Thursday & Sunday | Tuesday & Friday | Not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. |
| Lake CountyEastern standard time (November–March) | Saturday | Sunday | Tuesday | |
| Sumter CountyYear-round | Wednesday & Saturday | Thursday & Sunday | Tuesday & Friday | Not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. |
In normal times, homes in Villages Districts 5–14 water by lot number instead of house number, and Districts 1–4 have their own day pairs. The Villages has suspended those schedules until March 31, 2027 and follows the district order above.
Good to know
Other watering rules
How long per zone
In Lake County, put down no more than ¾ inch of water per zone, and run each zone no more than one hour on your watering day.
New sod and plants
Lake County: any day for the first 15 days, up to 3 days a week for the next 30, then 2 days a week for the last 15. Sumter: any day for 30 days, then 3 set days a week for the next 30.
Hand watering & drip
Watering flower beds and shrubs by hand, with drip or soaker hoses is allowed on other days. In Sumter County, do it before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
Rain sensors are the law
Florida requires a working rain shutoff device on every automatic sprinkler system. We test, replace and install them.
No runoff
Water running down the driveway or into the street counts as waste. Adjust heads that spray the pavement.
Repairs and testing
You can run a zone briefly to test or repair it. We do this on every service visit, then set your timer to your legal day.
Sources: St. Johns River Water Management District Water Shortage Order 2026-017 and year-round rule (Chapter 40C-2); Southwest Florida Water Management District Modified Phase III order (extended Sept. 22, 2026) and year-round rule 40D-22.201; The Villages Community Development Districts irrigation schedules.
Water when the lawn asks for it
The University of Florida recommends watering established lawns only when they show signs of needing it, and applying about ½ to ¾ inch of water each time. Watering a little every day keeps roots shallow and invites fungus.
Signs your lawn needs water
- Grass blades fold in half lengthwise
- The lawn turns a blue-gray color
- Footprints stay pressed into the grass
Water early
Run your system in the early morning. Less water is lost to wind and evaporation, and the grass dries during the day, which helps prevent disease.
Adjust for the seasons
Florida lawns use far more water in late spring and summer than in winter. Turn run times down in the cool months, and let the rainy season do the work in summer. Most controllers have a seasonal adjust setting for this.
Check before you water
The University of Florida's free Urban Irrigation Scheduler for Central Florida uses nearby weather stations to show whether your controller should be on or off this week.
Calibrate your system
Set a few straight-sided cups or tuna cans in a zone, run it for 15 minutes and measure the water. That tells you how long the zone needs to put down ½ to ¾ inch. Hunter's run time calculator can help.
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