The Sioux Falls watering schedule runs from May 1 through September 30, and during those months you can only use sprinklers on calendar dates that match your street address: even-numbered addresses water on even dates, odd-numbered addresses on odd dates. Sprinklers are banned every day between noon and 5 p.m., no matter what your address is.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program Hand watering with a shutoff nozzle is allowed any day, any time, and new lawns can qualify for a temporary permit.
When the Rules Apply
The program is active from May 1 through September 30 each year.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program Every residential and commercial customer on city water follows the same odd-even calendar and the same daily time restriction during that window. Outside those five months, the city does not restrict when or how often you water.
Which Days You Can Water
Under normal (Stage 1) conditions, the last digit of your house number sets your days. Even-numbered addresses water on even calendar dates; odd-numbered addresses water on odd calendar dates.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program The point is to spread demand across the treatment system instead of letting every lawn in the city run on the same day.
The Noon to 5 P.M. Ban
Sprinkler irrigation is prohibited between noon and 5 p.m. every day of the watering season, regardless of your address.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program Even on your assigned calendar day, running the system during that five-hour window is a violation.
Hand Watering Is Treated Differently
You can hand water shrubs, trees, gardens, and flower beds on any day and at any time, including during the noon-to-5 p.m. window. The requirement is that the hose carries a handheld nozzle that automatically shuts off when you release it.2City of Sioux Falls. City Shares Spring Tips for Water, Lawn and Property Care A hose running freely without a shutoff nozzle does not qualify.
So if a new tree or vegetable bed needs daily attention during a hot stretch, you can take care of it without checking the calendar, as long as you are holding the nozzle rather than walking away from a running hose.
New Lawn Permits
Freshly installed sod or seed needs more consistent moisture than the odd-even rotation allows. For those situations, Public Works issues a temporary permit that lets you water outside the normal schedule. Call Public Works at 605-367-8600 to request one.2City of Sioux Falls. City Shares Spring Tips for Water, Lawn and Property Care
The permit covers 30 days, and it is not renewable.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program One 30-day window is all you get, so install sod or seed early enough in the season to give the lawn a fair chance to establish before the permit runs out.
Stage 2 and Stage 3 Drought Restrictions
The odd-even schedule is the baseline. The city can escalate to tighter rules when water supply conditions deteriorate.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program
Stage 2: One Day Per Week
Stage 2 is triggered when Big Sioux River flow drops to 50 cubic feet per second or less for 10 consecutive days (while staying above 20 cfs) and citywide demand exceeds 42 million gallons per day.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program Each property gets one assigned day per week based on the last digit of the address:
- 0: Monday
- 1: Tuesday
- 2 or 3: Wednesday
- 4: Thursday
- 5: Friday
- 6 or 7: Saturday
- 8 or 9: Sunday
The noon-to-5 p.m. ban still applies on your assigned day.
Stage 3: No Outdoor Watering
Stage 3 is triggered when river flow falls to 20 cubic feet per second or less for five consecutive days and citywide demand exceeds 34 million gallons per day.1City of Sioux Falls. Lawn Watering Program All outdoor lawn watering is prohibited for residential, commercial, industrial, and city properties. No address rotation, no exceptions.
Washing a Vehicle at Home
The watering schedule does not cover vehicle washing, but a separate ordinance does. To wash a car, truck, or trailer at home, you must use a container holding no more than three gallons or a hose fitted with an automatic shutoff device at the nozzle.3American Legal Publishing. Sioux Falls Code of Ordinances 52.002 – Certain Uses of Water Determined A hose running freely in the driveway violates the rule.
Enforcement and Reporting
Inspectors check neighborhoods for sprinklers running on the wrong day or during the restricted hours, and violations result in citations with escalating fines for repeat offenses. To report a violation, call the city’s information line at 605-367-7000 or submit a request through the Sioux Falls mobile app or city website.4City of Sioux Falls. Contact the City The city does not publish a fixed fine schedule on its watering program page, so dollar amounts depend on the current municipal court fee structure when the citation is issued.