City of Raleigh says nearly half of customers are using too much water

According to Raleigh Water, 46% of outdoor irrigation meters checked in Raleigh over a five-day period were in violation of water conservancy rules, prompting discussion about stricter limits.
Bailey Stamos, WRAL reporter
Posted 7/9/2026, 9:57:36 PM Updated 7/9/2026, 11:25:54 PM

Nearly half of the irrigation meters reviewed by Raleigh Water during a five-day period showed signs of violating the city’s water restrictions as officials increase enforcement during persistent dry conditions.

Irrigation meters specifically measure water used for outdoor watering and irrigation.

From July 2 through July 6, 46% of the irrigation meters reviewed were found to be in violation. That represented a 3% increase from the previous weeks, according to Raleigh Water.

Raleigh remains under Stage 1 water restrictions, which limits spray irrigation to Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Athletic fields are permitted to irrigate under the current restrictions.

Despite those limits, Raleigh Water officials said the city recorded water demand of approximately 72 million gallons on a recent Monday, a day when spray irrigation is not permitted. The city’s target for a non-irrigation day is between 58 million and 60 million gallons.

Officials said the higher demand indicates some customers are continuing to irrigate on restricted days.

Raleigh Water increased enforcement efforts in recent weeks, using real-time meter data and hundreds of field crews to identify potential violations each day. The city also uses iMAPS data to identify properties connected to private wells, which are not subject to Raleigh Water’s irrigation restrictions.

Officials said much of the elevated water use is coming from residential properties.

Since enforcement began, Raleigh Water reported 860 total violations. The city issued 366 educational letters, 173 official warnings, six $50 civil penalties and one $200 civil penalty.

Some residents may not realize their automatic irrigation systems are continuing to run on restricted days, according to Ed Buchan with Raleigh Water. Officials said other customers may be willing to absorb the cost of a penalty to protect expensive lawns, newly installed sod or landscaping.

The city is also receiving reports from residents about possible violations by neighbors. Citing customer privacy, Raleigh Water told WRAL they cannot identify which neighborhoods consistently record the highest water use.

Officials said irrigation demand increased from 2025 to 2026, with dry weather contributing to higher water use both year over year and month over month.

On Tuesday, Raleigh City Council granted Raleigh Water additional flexibility to move the city into Stage 2 restrictions if drought conditions and water-use trends continue to worsen.

Under Stage 2, spray irrigation would be prohibited. Irrigation of athletic fields would be limited to one day per week.

Raleigh Water officials said the additional authority would allow the city to respond quicker if water supplies continue trending downward or customers continue to violate current restrictions.

“We want to encourage people to cooperate with the drought triggers,” Buchan said.

Councilmember Mitchell Silver emphasized the seriousness of the city’s water supply during Tuesday’s meeting.

“I want to send a message that we are in an exceptional drought and water is a very precious supply,” Silver said. “And I don’t want to get in a situation what happened in 2008.”

Raleigh Water officials are asking customers to check the settings on automatic irrigation systems and follow the city’s designated watering schedule as drought conditions continue.