Irrigation and Drip Systems in Paso Robles, CA

Paso Robles Landscaping designs, installs and repairs irrigation for homes inside the City of Paso Robles: spray-to-drip conversions, weather-based controllers, valve and wiring repairs, pressure regulation, leak hunts and complete systems for new or remodeled yards. Our office is on Riverside Avenue, and the City's own Irrigating Efficiently page says Paso households use about three times as much water in summer as in winter because of outdoor irrigation, and that many apply up to twice what the landscape needs. Our team includes an in-house irrigation designer who can draw your irrigation plan. Call 805-712-4440 or request a free estimate.

City Watering Rules in Effect Now

The City's Watering Restrictions page lists mandatory minimum measures that apply at all times, with or without a drought:

• No watering of any lawn, landscape or planted area that causes excessive flow or runoff
• No hosing down driveways, walks or patios except for health and safety, or with a high-pressure, low-volume washer
• Leaks repaired within seven days of notice from the City
• Fountains and decorative water features must recirculate

The City's Level 1 Voluntary Conservation FAQ (May 2023, still linked from that page) sets no watering days but asks customers to water only what is needed, before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m. It also lists no landscape watering during or within 48 hours after measurable rain. The Conservation page suggests no more than three watering days a week. We set controllers to finish early-morning cycles before 9 a.m. and add a rain sensor, and we confirm the current rules for your account, since the City can change its conservation level.

Chapter 21.56: When the City's Landscape Standards Apply

Paso Robles has its own water-efficient landscaping ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 21.56, updated in October 2024. It covers new and rehabilitated landscapes on projects that go through City development approval or need a building permit, such as a new home, an addition or a yard rebuilt as part of a remodel. For single-family homes it includes:

• Turf watered by spray limited to 25% of the landscaped area, and turf in a front or street-side yard triggers a full Landscape Documentation Package
• No turf strips narrower than 10 feet unless they use subsurface irrigation, and no turf in the parkway
• Drip and water-conserving plants for non-turf areas
• No overhead spray within 24 inches of concrete walks, driveways and other non-permeable surfaces; drip or a gravel or mulch strip goes there instead
• Rain sensors on every controller, pressure regulators and a master shut-off valve
• At least 3 inches of mulch on exposed soil and compost worked into planting areas
• For landscape areas of half an acre or more: a soils report, landscape, irrigation and grading plans, and a weather-based or soil-moisture controller

The chapter also says HOA rules can't require turf or ban low-water planting. A simple repair or a drip conversion on an existing yard usually doesn't trigger it, but a remodel with a permit can. Our in-house irrigation designer prepares the irrigation plan and worksheet when the City asks for them, and we confirm per lot.

The City Lawn Conversion Rebate

City water customers who replace an irrigated lawn with drought-tolerant plants on drip, artificial turf or permeable paving may qualify for the turf conversion rebate. Under the City's terms and conditions:

• A pre-inspection is required before any lawn or sprinklers come out, and the work must be finished within 120 days of it
• At least 200 square feet of lawn must be converted; a thin strip around the yard doesn't count
• Old spray heads must be removed and capped below the surface
• Planting is required, with 3 inches of mulch or 2 inches of rock, and any hardscape must be permeable, such as decomposed granite or permeable pavers
• New construction is not eligible, and funds can run out

Call the Water Conservation line at 805-227-7250 to book the pre-inspection, then we build to the terms. See our lawn replacement and rebates and artificial turf pages. The City's Water Harvesting page covers rain barrels and laundry-to-landscape graywater; some graywater systems need a Building Division permit (805-237-3850).

Common Fixes on Paso Robles Systems

• Spray hitting pavement. We pull heads back from walks and driveways, switch edge strips to drip and fix the low spots that send water to the gutter.
• One zone for everything. Lawn, shrubs, trees and vegetable beds need different run times. We split them into hydrozones so the oaks and olives aren't watered like the lawn.
• Heat-stressed drip. Summer afternoons here are hot. We bury drip line under mulch, flush and filter it, and add emitters as plants grow.
• Old clock timers. A weather-based controller with a rain sensor adjusts through the season, and we show you how to change it.
• High or uneven pressure. A pressure regulator at the valves keeps emitters and fittings from blowing apart.

Outside City Limits

Many addresses with a Paso Robles mailing address are on wells in unincorporated County land, east and west of town. City water rules and rebates don't apply there, but County standards can on new projects. We size those systems to your well's flow and pressure; see Paso Robles wine country landscaping.

Cost depends on repairs versus a full redesign, zone count, drip footage, the controller and any planting or lawn removal. We give you a written estimate after a site visit; see our main irrigation page, drought-tolerant landscapes and Paso Robles landscaping. If a pool is part of the plan, we do the master design for the whole backyard and refer you to pool builders we have done whole-yard projects with. You sign a separate contract with the pool builder, and we coordinate the schedule and build everything around the pool: decks, patios, walls, lighting, kitchen and planting.

Nearby Areas We Serve

From Paso Robles we also work in Templeton, Atascadero, Paso Robles wine country, Creston and Shandon. See every community on our San Luis Obispo County service area page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the watering rules in Paso Robles right now?

The City requires at all times that watering not cause excessive runoff, that leaks be fixed within seven days of notice and that fountains recirculate. Its Level 1 Voluntary Conservation FAQ sets no watering days but asks customers to water before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m. and lists no watering during or within 48 hours after measurable rain. We confirm current rules for your account.

Does Paso Robles limit lawn in new landscapes?

Yes, when a project is covered by Municipal Code Chapter 21.56. For single-family homes, spray-irrigated turf is limited to 25% of the landscaped area, turf strips under 10 feet wide need subsurface irrigation, and spray is not allowed within 24 inches of concrete and other non-permeable surfaces.

Does the City offer a lawn removal rebate?

City water customers can apply for a turf conversion rebate. A pre-inspection is required before work starts, at least 200 square feet must be converted and the job must be finished within 120 days. Funds are limited, so check current terms first.

Do I need an irrigation plan?

A new home, addition or remodel that goes through City development approval or a building permit can need a landscape and irrigation plan under Chapter 21.56. Our in-house irrigation designer prepares it.

How much does irrigation work cost in Paso Robles?

It depends on repairs versus a redesign, zone count, drip footage, the controller and any planting or lawn removal. We give a free written estimate after a site visit.