Ceres Watering Schedule: Which Days You Can Water in 2026
In Ceres your watering days are set by whether your house number is odd or even, and the rules are tighter than most people assume. Here is the current schedule, the hours that are off-limits, and what it costs if you get it wrong.
What days can I water in Ceres?
Ceres sets its own watering rules through the city's Water and Conservation Division. They are not the same as Modesto's MID schedule, which catches out anyone who moves a few miles up or down Highway 99.
Even-numbered addresses water Tuesday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Sunday. Nobody waters Monday, Thursday or Friday, and nobody waters between noon and 7 p.m. on any day.
That is two watering days a week, year-round. There is no rotating bonus day in summer, and the three closed days apply to every address regardless of number.
What hours are sprinklers banned?
No watering between noon and 7 p.m. on any day, including your assigned days. That leaves early morning and the evening after 7.
Early morning is the better of the two. Watering after dark leaves grass blades wet overnight, which is how brown patch and dollar spot get started in Central Valley heat. Try to finish your cycle before 8 a.m.
What does a violation cost?
Enforcement escalates within a calendar year: a written warning first, then $20, $100, $250 and $500. You can confirm the current schedule with Ceres Public Works at (209) 538-5732.
Fines reset annually but stack within the year, so a household running an unadjusted controller through one summer can climb the tiers without ever meaning to. By far the most common cause is a controller nobody reprogrammed after moving in or after the schedule last changed.
How do I keep a lawn alive on two days a week?
Two days is enough if you water deeply rather than often. Most Ceres lawns want roughly 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week in midsummer, delivered as two soakings rather than five light sprinkles.
Much of Ceres sits on clay-heavy ground that accepts water slowly, so one long run mostly produces runoff down the driveway. Use cycle-and-soak: split each zone into two or three shorter runs spaced 10–15 minutes apart so water has time to sink in between passes. Same total minutes, far less waste.
Raise the mower too. Grass held at 3 to 4 inches shades its own root zone and stays green noticeably longer than grass scalped to 2 inches.
Is this the same as Modesto's schedule?
No, and it is worth repeating because it is the mistake we see most. Modesto customers follow MID. Ceres customers follow the City of Ceres, which uses different days and a different banned window.
If you maintain property in both cities, two houses eight miles apart can legally water on completely different days. Reprogram rather than assume.
Frequently asked questions
What days can I water in Ceres?
Even-numbered addresses water Tuesday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Sunday. No watering is allowed Monday, Thursday or Friday.
What time can I not water in Ceres?
No watering is permitted between noon and 7 p.m. on any day, including your assigned watering days.
What is the fine for watering on the wrong day in Ceres?
Enforcement escalates within a calendar year: a written warning, then $20, $100, $250 and $500 for further violations.
Is the Ceres watering schedule the same as Modesto's?
No. Modesto customers follow the MID schedule. Ceres customers follow the City of Ceres schedule, which sets different days and different restricted hours.