Tri-Cities homeowners have about three weeks left on the irrigation clock.
The Kennewick Irrigation District told customers on Friday, Sept. 18, that full water deliveries end Monday, Oct. 12, with the shut-off process taking place Tuesday, Oct. 13, according to NonStop Local KNDU/KNDO. 610 KONA reported that Oct. 12 is the last day customers can expect full, regular pressure through their systems. KID serves roughly 25,200 parcels — about 60,000 people — so the date drives the fall yard calendar for a large share of Kennewick.
That leaves a short window to do three things: finish any deep watering your lawn, trees and shrubs need before the tap closes; get your backflow device and valves protected; and get the lines blown out before the first hard freeze. In the Tri-Cities, the gap between shutoff and the first sustained freeze is usually measured in weeks, not months, and blowout crews book up quickly in the two weeks after the district goes dry.
Why mid-October, and why it matters this year
The shutoff date isn't only about cool weather. Districts have to budget their water monthly and annually to stay inside their allotment, and KID's supply comes from the Yakima River, KID's Matthew Berglund explained to NonStop Local in an earlier season.
This year's announcement came with a drought note. Apple Valley News Now reported that KID officials thanked customers for sticking to the voluntary watering schedule this season — compliance the district credited with keeping it off a mandatory schedule — while warning about continuing drought. Local reservoir levels came in higher than last year but still below average.
KID has, in past years, begun "baseline testing" after the final delivery day, intentionally backing water up in the canals to measure seepage, which can make canals look fuller than usual after shutoff, NonStop Local has reported. Whether the district is repeating that in 2026 hasn't been announced. Either way, water visible in a canal after Oct. 13 does not mean your service is back on.
Not everyone is on the same calendar
Which date applies to you depends on where your irrigation water comes from — and in the Tri-Cities that varies block by block.
- Kennewick Irrigation District: full deliveries end Oct. 12; shut-off process Oct. 13.
- South Columbia Basin Irrigation District, which serves a large swath of Franklin County farmland and some residential parcels, has set an Oct. 19 shutdown, with final shutdown and canal draining beginning Oct. 21, NewsTalk 870 reported. The district also steps deliveries down from six days a week to five late in the season.
- City of Pasco: the city-supplied irrigation season typically runs April through October depending on weather; the 2026 system turn-on was April 10, per the city's irrigation page. Pasco assigns watering days — even-numbered addresses on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; odd-numbered addresses on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday — and asks residents to water before 9 a.m. or after sunset. The city had not posted a 2026 fall shutoff date as of this writing.
- City of West Richland: city-operated irrigation service is turned on sometime in April and off sometime in October, with the specific date announced on the city website, according to the city's FAQ. Important detail for West Richland homeowners: the city does not provide sprinkler blowout services. The City Administration Office is at 3100 Belmont Blvd.
- Columbia Irrigation District, Richland, and the smaller districts (Franklin County, Benton, Badger Mountain, East Columbia) had not published confirmed 2026 dates that we could verify. Check with your district or city directly rather than assuming last year's date repeats.
If you irrigate off city domestic water rather than a district or city irrigation line, no shutoff date applies to you at all — but your sprinkler system still needs to be winterized on the same weather timeline as everyone else's.
What to do after the water goes off
KID's advice after shutoff is straightforward: winterize your valves and have the sprinkler system blown out to help prevent cracking and breakage when temperatures drop below freezing, NonStop Local reported. The district points customers to its website for guidance on caring for landscaping through the colder months.
A blowout uses compressed air to push standing water out of lateral lines, valves and sprinkler heads. Water left in a line expands when it freezes, and the repair — a cracked manifold, a split backflow assembly, a shattered head — costs far more than the service.
Plenty of homeowners rent a compressor and do this themselves; a small pancake compressor generally won't move enough air volume to clear a zone, so size matters more than pressure. If you'd rather hand it off, Tri-Cities Blowouts is one local option, serving Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Benton City, Finley and Burbank. Its 2026 season runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 5, Monday through Saturday, with online booking that quotes a price up front: $65 for five zones booked by Oct. 24, $85 from Oct. 25 through Nov. 4, and $105 after that, with extra zones costing more. Whoever you use, the earlier you're on the schedule, the more likely you are to beat the first freeze.
Fall yard and home checklist
- Do your last deep watering of lawn, trees and shrubs before Oct. 12 if you're on KID.
- Drain and store hoses; insulate outdoor spigots and any exposed pipe.
- Shut off and drain the backflow/valve assembly, and insulate what stays above ground.
- Schedule the sprinkler blowout now — don't wait for the first frost warning.
- Turn the irrigation controller to "off" or "rain" so it doesn't fire a dry cycle in spring before the water is back on.
- Same-weekend home task: Benton PUD offers residential rebates for weatherization and HVAC work, paid as a credit on the invoice from an Approved Contractor after the job is done. All weatherization and HVAC measures must be performed by an Approved Contractor. The PUD also runs a low-income energy efficiency program with rebates for insulation, windows, door replacement and heat pumps for customers income-verified through Benton Franklin Community Action Connections.
Frequently asked questions
When exactly does Kennewick irrigation water stop in 2026? Full deliveries end Monday, Oct. 12, and the shut-off process happens Tuesday, Oct. 13, per KID's announcement as reported by NonStop Local and 610 KONA. Pressure can begin dropping as the system drains, so plan your final watering for before the 12th rather than on it.
Does West Richland or my city blow out my sprinklers? West Richland's FAQ states plainly that the city does not provide sprinkler blowout services. Winterizing the portion of the system on your property is the homeowner's responsibility in the cities and districts covered here.
Why is there still water in the canal after shutoff? In past years KID has run baseline testing after the last delivery day, intentionally backing water up to measure canal seepage, which can leave canals looking fuller than normal. That water is not service water, and canals remain dangerous regardless of level.
How late can I safely wait to winterize? There's no fixed date, but the risk rises with every overnight low near freezing. Contractors fill their calendars in the two weeks after the district shuts off, and prices at some companies step up as the season goes on, so mid-October is the practical deadline for most Tri-Cities yards.
Before you plan around any date other than KID's, confirm it with your own district or city — several local providers had not posted 2026 fall shutoff dates as of Sept. 22.
