Las Vegas Watering Schedule for Winter: What Changes November 1

Starting November 1, the Las Vegas watering schedule drops to one assigned day per week, and it stays there through February 28. That limit covers drip systems as well as sprinklers, so your controller likely needs new settings. Here is what changes, how to find your day, and how to prepare your irrigation system before winter.

What is the Las Vegas watering schedule in winter?

From November 1 through February 28, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) limits landscape irrigation to one assigned day per week. Sunday is not one of the options.

SNWA sets the schedule by season. Here is how the year breaks down, based on SNWA's current restrictions page:

If your controller still has fall settings on November 1, it will water on days you are no longer allowed to use.

Keep in mind that the schedule sets a limit, not a target. As our summer lawn care guide explains, the most watering allowed is not a rule to water that much.

How do you find your assigned watering day?

Your assigned day depends on your watering group, which is tied to your address. You can find it with SNWA's "Find your watering days and group" tool or on your monthly water bill.

We don't list days by group in this guide on purpose. Days depend on your address, and SNWA's tool is the official answer for your property. SNWA also posts watering group maps for Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City.

SNWA says assigned watering groups are mandatory for all municipal water customers.

Does the winter schedule apply to drip irrigation?

Yes. SNWA states that the winter watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation, and its drip guidance says the number of drip days is limited by season.

SNWA's advice is to water drip systems one day a week or less in winter.

How long each drip cycle should run depends on your emitters. SNWA gives these maximums for each watering:

• High-flow emitters (up to 20 gallons per hour): 20 to 40 minutes or less
• Low-flow emitters (up to 4 gph): 30 minutes or less
• Low-flow emitters (up to 2 gph): 60 minutes or less
• Low-flow emitters (up to 1 gph): 90 minutes or less

Per SNWA, low-flow emitters drip slowly, while high-flow emitters stream like a fountain. The flow rate is often marked on the emitter head.

How long should you run sprinklers in winter?

SNWA recommends watering your lawn a maximum of 12 minutes on your watering day. Split that into three 4-minute cycles, spaced at least an hour apart.

Short cycles matter because desert soil soaks up water slowly. SNWA recommends the split to cut runoff, instead of running 12 minutes all at once.

Timing changes in winter too. SNWA suggests watering in the midmorning during winter. That helps you avoid afternoon winds and lowers the risk of ice forming if you water in the early morning or evening.

Keep your lawn and your plants on separate programs. SNWA's controller guide uses Program A for sprinklers and Programs B and C for drip, so a shrub bed never inherits a lawn's schedule.

How do you reset your irrigation controller before November 1?

Change three settings for each program: watering days, start times and run times. Do it before November 1 so the first winter week is already correct.

SNWA's controller steps break down like this:

• Watering days: set each program to water only on your assigned winter day.
• Start times: for sprinklers (Program A), use three start times at least an hour apart. For drip (Program B), SNWA suggests one cycle.
• Run times: four minutes per sprinkler cycle, with a daily maximum of 12 minutes for the lawn. For drip, match the run time to your emitters, as shown above.

There is one more date to know. SNWA reminds homeowners to change the time on their irrigation clock when daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November. In 2026, that is November 1, the same day the winter schedule begins. A smart controller can handle this for you, and SNWA offers a rebate on smart irrigation clocks.

Before you change anything, photograph the current settings so you know what you started with.

Your pre-winter irrigation checklist

A new schedule only works if the system is in good shape. Walk through these checks, many drawn from SNWA's seasonal tips, when you reprogram:

• Run each zone and watch it. Look for spray hitting walls, driveways or sidewalks, heads that don't pop up, and dry strips.
• Look for leaks. A wet spot that never dries, pooling water or a soggy valve box can point to a leak.
• Replace broken or missing heads with matching parts, and level heads so grass doesn't block the spray.
• Check drip lines and emitters. Look for breaks, clogs and emitters that no longer reach a growing plant.
• Flush drip lines and clean filters. SNWA says to do this every time you change your irrigation schedule. Open the end cap, run the line briefly to push out debris, and clean the filter screen.
• Replace the controller's backup battery. SNWA recommends this at least once a year. A power outage can reset some controllers to factory settings that water far more than allowed.
• Clear leaves and debris. Fallen leaves and yard debris make damaged heads harder to see.

If the checklist turns up problems, our irrigation repairs and tune-ups include leak detection, head replacement and seasonal adjustments. A seasonal cleanup can clear leaves and debris first, which makes damaged sprinkler heads easier to spot.

What happens if you water on the wrong day?

Watering outside your assigned day counts as water waste under SNWA's rules, and it may lead to a water-waste fee or citation. SNWA says fees depend on your water provider's rules and can range from $40 up to $5,000 for repeat violations.

Water that sprays or flows off your property also counts as waste. So does failing to fix a malfunction in your irrigation system within 48 hours. Fix a broken head or leak quickly instead of waiting for spring.

Common winter watering questions

Talk through your winter irrigation

Not sure your controller is set right, or found a leak you can't track down? Transformers Landscaping serves homeowners across Las Vegas and the surrounding valley. Call (702) 788-7409 or request a free estimate. It helps to share photos of your controller, the number of zones if you know it, and what you've noticed.