Augusta-Richmond County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Augusta-Richmond County, GA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Watering hours allowed
- 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Restricted hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Augusta Utilities Department
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
- New turf/plant exemption
- First 30 days after installation
Summary
Augusta-Richmond County limits outdoor landscape watering to the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., with exemptions for drip irrigation, hand watering, new plantings, and food gardens.
Restriction on outdoor water of landscape. Except for those activities exempted in Section 5-2-83(d), outdoor landscape watering, meaning watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover trees, shrubs, or other plants, may occur only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Under the Augusta, Georgia Water and Wastewater Ordinance, outdoor landscape watering, watering to plant, grow, manage, or maintain ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants, may occur only between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., so daytime hours in between are off-limits except for thirteen listed exceptions: drip and soaker-hose irrigation, hand watering with an automatic shutoff nozzle, new plantings and turf for their first 30 days, food gardens, agricultural and horticultural uses, reclaimed or gray water, private wells, and irrigation-system installation or repair. The Augusta Utilities Department is the primary enforcement authority.
Violations & Fines
Violating the watering-hours restriction is enforced by the Augusta Utilities Department, tried as a misdemeanor in Magistrate Court, and punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or up to 60 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I water my lawn at noon in Augusta-Richmond County?
Does hand watering with a hose count?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Augusta-Richmond County
How Augusta-Richmond County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Augusta-Richmond County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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