Cary, NC Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)

No person shall use potable water supplied by the town water system to irrigate the landscape on any property except on alternate days assigned to that property for irrigating the landscape. The days of the week on which irrigation of the landscape can take place at a particular property shall be determined by that property's street address. The Town Manager or designee shall develop a Standard Procedure setting forth irrigation days for the various street addresses and other details of alternate day watering. Such Standard Procedure shall be developed, maintained and amended as needed to keep the irrigation days and administration procedures consistent with recommendations from area experts such as the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service and technological advances. The use of "reclaimed" or "reused" water, pond water, rainwater and well water or other nonpotable water is not governed by this section, nor is the watering of plant material and lawns by use of drip irrigation, watering cans, hand-held hoses, and other hand-held watering tools.

(c)   Violations. Each day a violation occurs is a separate violation. Any person violating this section may be cited for each day on which a violation occurs.

(d)   Penalties. Penalties for violation of this section are as set forth herein. The town may use any one, or combination, of penalties and enforcement mechanisms. Imposition of one or more penalties for any violation shall not