Municipal Code Print

Title 13 Public Utilities and Services

Article I. General Provisions

Section 13.04.1925 Water Conservation Measures

1. Every year between June 1 – October 1 the City of Spokane shall implement the following conservation measures:

1. 1. A prohibition on watering outdoor vegetation during the hours of 10 am to 6 pm;

1. 1. A limitation on watering outdoor vegetation on each parcel to four days per week;

1. 1. A suggested limitation of a total of 2 hours daily outdoor watering on each parcel; and

1. 1. A suggested prohibition on the use of water for washing outdoor hardscape features, such as sidewalks, driveways, decks, and patios.

1. When the flow in the Spokane River, as measured at USGS monitoring location 12422500 (located at Lower Crossing) is predicted to fall below 1,000 cfs any time between June 1 – October 1 and the Mayor or a majority of the City Council declares a drought emergency the City shall implement the following conservation measures:

1. 1. A prohibition on watering outdoor vegetation during the hours of 10 am to 6 pm;

1. 1. A limitation on watering outdoor vegetation on each parcel to two days per week;

1. 1. A limitation of a total of 2 hours outdoor watering daily on each parcel; and

1. 1. A prohibition on the use of water for washing outdoor hardscape features, such as sidewalks, driveways, decks, and patios.

1. The Parks Department shall continue its efforts to upgrade park infrastructure as funding becomes available to comply with the above mandatory and voluntary measures. Then Parks Department shall be exempt from these measures when the Parks Director informs City Council in writing that an exemption is necessary for the purposes of watering trees, watering the remaining parks with non-automated irrigation systems, allowing for the establishment of newly-planted landscape, mitigating fire risk in wildland-urban interface areas, operating pools and splashpads, and operating public golf courses/sports program facilities.

1. The Public Works and Utilities Department may grant to city residents reasonable exemptions from these measures for the purposes of watering community/personal vegetable gardens, trees located either within the public right-of-way or on private property, to allow for the establishment of newly-planted landscape, or in wildland-urban interface areas to mitigate wildfire risk.

Upon enactment of this chapter, the Water Department shall provide education and community engagement to all water rate payers within the city’s retail water delivery area on the importance of complying with the new legal standards for watering outside vegetation and the financial and other benefits to the community.

Date Passed: Monday, December 8, 2025

Effective Date: Sunday, January 18, 2026

ORD C36777 Section 24

Spokane Municipal Code