Hot temperatures, drying winds, and extended stretches of limited rainfall can lead to periods of drought conditions. In severe drought conditions, water restrictions on outdoor water use can become necessary. To best prepare landscape & garden plants for drought conditions, it is important to take steps early. Selecting drought tolerant plants, proper watering practices, and good horticulture practices can help adapt your landscape to drier conditions. The information below is designed to help increase the likelihood of your landscape making it through periods of drought and water restrictions.

Drought Response Plans

Water is a limited resource and everyone must do their part to conserve water. To protect water resources, the City of Wichita has a three stage drought plan for outdoor water use for all municipal water users. Even those property owners with private wells are asked to conserve water and follow recommended drought stage practices. The stages include:

Drought Stage 1 – Voluntary Water Conservation
Drought Stage 2 – Limited Outdoor Water Use With Mandatory Water Conservation Regulations
Drought Stage 3 – No Outdoor Water Use

Currently, municipal water users are in Drought Stage 2.

Current Water Restrictions

Drought Stage 2 is now in effect, which includes mandatory outdoor water use restrictions for all City of Wichita and municipal water users. Here is what you need to know:

Drought Stage 2 water restrictions went into effect Monday, August 5^th, 2024 and are currently ongoing.
Outdoor watering for all water users is restricted to once a week.
Watering days of the week are assigned based on where a resident lives.
No outdoor watering is allowed between 10:00 am to 8:00 pm any day.
Watering use from a private well is exempt, but similar water conservation is encouraged. Well water users should post signs stating well water is being using.
Residential and commercial food gardens are exempt.