As the mercury begins to rise, the city is laying down the law on lawn watering. The City of Apple Valley has announced that from May 1 to September 30, residents need to time their sprinkler use, per the city's website. Forget about letting your sprinklers lose between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., as the city rolls out summer water restrictions aimed at conservation and meeting state regulations.

The ban, which kicked in at the start of the month, is set to prevent homeowners from using in-ground irrigation systems, mechanical sprinklers, or leaving hoses unattended during the hottest hours. Those who are thinking about quenching their gardens' thirst will have to wait for cooler temps later in the evening or get up early to get the job done. According to the rules posted on the city's official announcement, this isn't for those who pamper their plants by hand; the hose must be held in hand, or if kids are making a splash with water toys, they're in the clear.

The restriction isn't just for those hooked up to the municipal supply. Even if you're drawing water from your own well, a nearby lake, or any other alternate source, the same rules apply. Yet, if you’ve gone and added some green to your space with new sod or trees this year, you're given a free pass. The city wants those roots to take hold without the stress of dehydration.

Be mindful that further restrictions could slam down like a judge's gavel if there's a need to keep domestic and fire flow demands up to snuff. Residents should keep their ears to the ground because if there's a squeeze on the supply, those early morning and late evening watering windows could shrink even tighter, signaled a statement from the City of Apple Valley's website.