Lawn Watering Program

In an effort to utilize our water resources in an efficient manner, the City of Sioux Falls has established a year-round lawn watering schedule. City ordinance #50 - #52 established an odd/even policy and prohibits noon to 5 p.m. watering every day. It also determines how we move between stages of lawn watering guidelines.

Sioux Falls is currently in stage 1 of this schedule, and all municipal water users must follow the lawn watering program below.


Stage 1 is in effect when the river flow is more than 50 cubic feet per second.

Stage one

LAWN WATERING for all residential, commercial, industrial, and City facilities is allowed with the following exceptions:

  • Watering lawns is not allowed during the hours of 12 p.m. (noon) to 5 p.m.
  • Users with even-numbered addresses may water lawns on even-numbered calendar dates and users with odd-numbered addresses may water lawns on odd-numbered calendar dates.

Stage 2 is in effect when the river flow is at 50 cubic feet per second or less for 10 consecutive days but more than 20 cubic feet per second. Also, the city-wide demand for water is more than 42 million gallons per day.

Stage two

LAWN WATERING for all residential, commercial, industrial, and City facilities is allowed one day per week based on the last number of your property address. For example, 108 E. John Doe Lane would water on Sunday. Use the following schedule:

  • 0 - Monday
  • 1 - Tuesday
  • 2 - Wednesday
  • 3 - Wednesday
  • 4 - Thursday
  • 5 - Friday
  • 6 - Saturday
  • 7 - Saturday
  • 8 - Sunday
  • 9 - Sunday

Watering lawns is not allowed during the hours of 12 p.m. (noon) to 5 p.m.


Stage 3 is in effect when the river flow is 20 cubic feet per second or less for 5 consecutive days. Also, the city-wide demand for water is more than 34 million gallons per day.

Stage three

LAWN WATERING for all residential, commercial, industrial, and City facilities is not allowed at this time.


WASTING WATER IS NEVER ALLOWED (for example, leaving your hose running).

PERMITS FOR NEWLY INSTALLED LAWNS will be allowed. Contact Public Works at 605-367-8600 for permit information.

HAND WATERING OF VEGETATION such as shrubbery, trees, ground covers, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, and flowers is permitted any time of day if the water is applied by a hose that does not leak and is equipped with a hand-held nozzle that automatically shuts off when released.