Miami-Dade Water Restrictions: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

South Florida water restrictions have been in place since 2001, and they're enforced year-round — not just during droughts. Many homeowners are unaware that running their sprinklers on the wrong day, or at the wrong time of day, can result in fines from both the county and their municipality.

Miami-Dade County Restrictions at a Glance

• Landscape irrigation is limited to 2 days per week
• Your allowed days depend on your address (odd/even street number determines your day)
• Odd-numbered addresses: Thursday and Sunday
• Even-numbered addresses: Wednesday and Saturday
• Irrigation is prohibited between 10am and 4pm
• Hand-watering and drip irrigation are exempt from day restrictions but still prohibited 10am–4pm

Broward County Water Restrictions

Broward County follows a similar framework but is managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and local municipalities. The standard is 2 days per week with the same 10am–4pm prohibition. However, some cities (Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, Pembroke Pines) have added stricter local rules — always check your specific city's ordinances.

How Much Are the Fines?

• First violation: Warning notice
• Second violation: $100–$250 fine depending on municipality
• Third violation: $250–$500 fine
• Continued violations: Fine escalation up to $1,000 and possible water service interruption
• Some cities issue violations without a warning on the first offense

How to Program Your Controller for Compliance

Most digital controllers have a 'day selection' or 'program' mode that lets you choose which days to water. Set Program A to your two allowed days only. Set start times to before 10am (we recommend 5am or 6am for best results) or after 4pm (we recommend 6pm). If your controller only has 'odd/even' or 'interval' mode, you'll need to manually verify it matches your actual allowed days — or upgrade to a smart controller that handles this automatically.

Smart Controllers and Automatic Compliance

WiFi-enabled smart controllers like the Rain Bird ST8I, Hunter X2, and Rachio 3 can be set to your specific watering days and will automatically skip irrigation after rainfall — even if your standard schedule calls for it. They also allow remote adjustment from your phone, so you can pause irrigation during heavy rain periods without physically accessing the controller.