Water Restrictions

WAKE COUNTY

Raleigh 

The Raleigh City Council added an irrigation day for water customers on May 20, 2008. Water uses that are addressed by the ordinance include:

Stage 1 mandatory water use restrictions provide for irrigation one weekday per week and, as of May 20, one weekend day between midnight and 10 a.m.

Odd-number addresses are permitted to water on Tuesdays and Saturdays and even-number addresses on Wednesdays and Sundays. Irrigation on those days by automatic irrigation systems will be permitted from midnight to 10 a.m. Those who use Raleigh-supplied water in garden hose-attached sprinklers may irrigate from 6 to 10 a.m. and between 6 and 10 p.m. on the same days for odd and even addresses.

City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department water customers may water at any time when physically holding a garden hose in their hands.

Car washing, power washing of sidewalks and driveways and filling of swimming and decorative pools are limited to weekends.

The first violation of the Stage 1 mandatory water restrictions is a $200 fine, and a second violation would result in a $1,000 fine. A third violation would result in interruption of the customer’s water service.

The restrictions apply to all City of Raleigh water customers, including those in Garner, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.

Cary

The Town of Cary ended its ban on outdoor watering on April 1, 2008. The ban had included the use of irrigation systems, sprinklers or other automated watering devices.

Hand washing, pressure washing and car washing are allowed any day of the week, but town officials are urging residents to be mindful about their water usage.

Citizens in Cary and Morrisville connected to the Town of Cary ’s water system can use the year-round alternate-day watering schedule that has been in place for several years.

The ban on automated outdoor watering does not apply to reclaimed water system customers, nor does it impact the government’s ability to maintain safe surfaces at its fields. Outdoor washing will also still be OK.

Since 2000, the Town has issued an average of about 600 temporary passes from the rules to allow daily watering as needed to establish new seed, sod, or plugs since doing so helps prevent erosion and allows citizens to make desired aesthetic improvements to their property.

The new water rules come with new penalties. Customers will be given one warning for violating the new rules before any fines are assessed. Those who violate the rules a second time face a fine of $500 and $1,000 for each additional violation. The town could discontinue water service to a violator who violates the rules six times.

Town of Cary water customers may also apply for financial incentives for specifc water-saving actions, such as the installation of a high-efficiency toilet and  replacement of grass with more drought-tolerant varieties.

Apex

The Town of Apex implemented year-round water restrictions on Oct. 1, 2007, limiting residents to three days of outdoor watering per week with unlimited hand-held watering.

Beginning April 1, 2008, Town of Apex water customers are allowed to water lawns and landscapes three days a week according to the following schedule:

• Addresses ending with 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 - Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
• Addresses ending with 2, 4, 6, 8, 0 - Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays

Hand-held hose watering and vehicle washing is currently not restricted.

Apex water customers may obtain a 60-day New Landscape Permit from Public Works at 105 Upchurch Street to allow for irrigation of new plantings including newly sodded lawns, first yard seedings, or larger commercial plantings.

The Town of Apex continues to encourage the following voluntary water conservation practices:

Limit vehicle washing to a minimum.

• Refrain from leaving faucets running while shaving, brushing teeth, and rinsing dishes.
• Only run full loads for laundry and dish washing.

Fuquay-Varina

Effective Aug. 30, 2007, all water use was restricted to the following:

• Odd-numbered addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes only between midnight and 10 a.m. on Tuesdays.
• Even-numbered addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes only between midnight and 10 a.m. on Wednesdays.
• Washing vehicles at home is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Washing sidewalks, patios, decks, driveways and building exteriors is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Non-Fire fighting hydrant use is prohibited.
• Filling of Swimming Pools is prohibited.

Exceptions to these restrictions are as follows:

• Agricultural irrigation is allowed for the production of food or the maintenance of livestock.
• Irrigation is allowed for commercial nurseries at a minimum level necessary to maintain stock.
• Commercial car and truck washes are allowed to wash vehicles.
• Municipal pools and those used by health care facilities can be filled.

Garner

See Raleigh restrictions

Holly Springs

The Town of Holly Springs was under Stage 1 water restrictions as of Aug. 22, 2008.

• Customers may water landscaping according to the following schedule:
• Address numbers ending in an even digit, watering restricted to between 6 and 10 a.m. and between 6 and 10 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
• Address numbers ending in an odd digit, watering restricted to between 6 and 10 a.m. and between 6 and 10 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
• No irrigation from the Town’s public water supply shall take place on Friday

Knightdale

See Raleigh restrictions

Morrisville

See Cary restrictions

Rolesville

See Raleigh restrictions

Wake Forest

See Raleigh restrictions

Wendell

See Raleigh restrictions

Zebulon

See Raleigh restrictions

DURHAM COUNTY

Durham

Stage II: Voluntary Conservation, effective Sept. 4, 2008.

Current Outdoor Water Restrictions are as follows:
Customers may water lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, flowers, golf greens or vegetable gardens on Wednesdays and Saturdays ONLY, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. OR 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Customers may only water during ONE of the allowed times each Wednesday and Saturday.

Watering by hand (with cans, wands, and hand-held hoses) is allowed any day of the week. Customers must actually be holding the watering hose, can, etc.; watering by hand cannot occur unattended.

ORANGE COUNTY

Chapel Hill-Carrboro 

On Sept. 28, 2008, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority Board of Directors  voted to move to a Stage One water restrictions. OWASA serves the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community.

Stage One water restrictions stipulate that OWASA customers:

• Spray irrigation is limited to one day per week, and is allowed only before 9:00 AM and after 8:00 PM. Irrigation is limited to 1/2 inch per week. At even-numbered addresses, spray irrigation is allowed only on Tuesdays; at odd-numbered addresses, only on Thursdays. These restrictions do not apply to watering of containerized plants and commercial plant stock in trade.
• Spray irrigation is defined as “The application of water to landscaping by means of a device that projects water through the air in the form of small particles or droplets.”
• You can measure irrigation with a small container such as a tuna can. If you have an irrigation system, you may wish to have the control system adjusted by a company that installs or maintains irrigation systems.
• Spray irrigation systems are required to have automatic timer systems and rain or soil moisture sensors, and hoses for outdoor use are required to have automatic-shut-offs.
• Water waste is prohibited. Water waste includes using so much water that it runs onto adjacent properties or street rights-of-way or causes ponding on impervious surfaces; failing to fix leaks; and irrigation during rainfall or when soil moisture is already adequate.
• Water use by individually metered residential customer accounts and by individually- metered single family residential irrigation-only accounts is limited to an average of one thousand (1,000) gallons per day during any monthly billing cycle. OWASA may terminate service if this limit is exceeded.
• The previous exemption for watering new plants, sod, seeding and reseeding of lawns is no longer in effect.
• Watering with a hand-held hose or watering can or with underground, drip irrigation, micro spray, soaker hose or low precipitation “bubbler” watering systems is allowed on any day of the week and at any time of day, but is limited to the maximum of one-half inch of water applied in any given week.
• No OWASA water may be used to re-fill ornamental fountains, ponds, and like devices.
• No OWASA water may be used for routine cleaning or washing of paved areas such as sidewalks, decks, driveways, roadways, or parking lots.
• Hotels, motels, etc. shall change bed linens only upon request of the customer, upon customer changeover or every five days for long-term customers.
• Restaurants shall serve water only upon request.
• The use of low-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators is strongly encouraged where they are not already in place as required by current plumbing codes.
• The use of rain barrels, cisterns, etc. to store rainwater for irrigation and other suitable purposes is strongly encouraged. Rain barrels are available at some retail outlets and local Boy Scout Troop #39 (telephone: 942-4830).
• Dishwashers and clothes washers should be used only with full loads or with water level settings appropriate for the load size.

CHATHAM COUNTY

Stage 3-B water restrictions took effect in Chatham County on Oct. 29, 2007. The restrictions apply primarily to customers in the northeastern part of the county who are served by Jordan Lake. County residents on municipal water systems – including Siler City and Cary – must follow restrictions imposed by those localities.

Stage 3-B water restrictions stipulate:

• County water customers are banned from using all types of outdoor irrigation systems from next Monday. Watering by hand in urgent situations is permitted, but people are urged to use private well waters or recycled water. Water can be caught in rain buckets or bathtubs while the shower is running.
• Commercial car washes using county water are to cease operation until further notice.
• Fire departments were instructed to use raw water in place of county water whenever possible. Fire hydrants are to be used for putting out fires or other public emergencies.
• Filling or refilling any swimming or wading pools, ponds, fountains or similar items is banned. Customers cannot add small amounts of water to bring these up to normal levels.
• County water cannot be used to wash outside areas, including building exteriors, streets, driveways, decks, parking lots, service station aprons, patios or other types of impervious surfaces, such as paved areas.
• Water-cooled or other equipment that does not recycle cooling water can be operated only when health and safety are impacted.
• Customers should not use water for dust control or to compact soil.
• Customers should avoid any activities that waste county water supplies.

Siler City

Officials lifted the town's water emergency status on Oct. 29, 2007, but kept mandatory restrictions in place. Residential and commercial customers must reduce water consumption by 20 percent.

The regulations stipulate that it is unlawful to:

• operate commercial car washes.
• water outdoor lawn, shrubbery, flowers or other outdoor vegetation.
• wash cars or other vehicles.
• wash outdoor areas, including sidewalks, patios and driveways.
• introduce water into a swimming pool or run water in a decorative fountain, pool or pond.
• use water for any nonessential use.

JOHNSTON COUNTY

Effective April 7, 2008, Johnston County water customers may use irrigation systems on limited days.

• Odd addresses Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Even addresses Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

Systems supplied by the county, which includes the towns of Clayton, Kenly, Four Oaks and Princeton, and private systems owned by Aqua N.C. and Carolina Water Service are also asked to assist within their jurisdictions.
 

WAYNE COUNTY

Goldsboro

From Aoril 22, 2008, Goldsboro reduced mandatory conservation measures to voluntary status.

 UNINCORPORATED AREAS

North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council

The state manages water restrictions for users on private, non-municipal water systems and wells based on the weekly conditions shown by the United States Drought Monitor.

To add your community's restrictions, send us an e-mail.