Bartow County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Bartow 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
- Governing section
- Bartow County Code § 74-58(f)
- Allowed watering hours
- 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Applies to
- Lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, ground cover
- Maximum fine
- Up to $1,000.00 per violation
- Exemptions
- 13 uses incl. food gardens, drip irrigation
Summary
Outdoor watering of lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs in unincorporated Bartow County is restricted to the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. under Code § 74-58(f). The rule applies year-round outside declared drought emergencies, with listed exemptions for food gardens, drip irrigation, hand watering and other uses. Violations carry fines up to $1,000.00.
(f)Restriction on outdoor watering of landscape. Other than in times of a state of emergency (discussed in subsection (e) above), outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants in the unincorporated area of the county may only occur between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.; provided; however, that this limitation shall not create any limitation upon the following outdoor water uses (as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 12-5-7): ... (5)Irrigation of personal food gardens; ... (8)Handwatering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container; ... (9)Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;
Full Breakdown
, with the daytime hours in between off-limits. This is the county's everyday rule, distinct from the tougher EPD Level 4 emergency restrictions that subsection (e) imposes only when the governor or the county commissioner declares a drought-related state of emergency. 2, reclaimed waste water use, irrigation of personal food gardens, thirty-day watering of newly installed plant or turf, drip or soaker-hose irrigation, hand watering with an automatic shutoff nozzle or handheld container, use of water from a private well or on-site surface water, irrigation of horticultural crops held for sale, irrigation of athletic fields and golf courses, irrigation-system installation and calibration, and hydroseeding.
§§ 8-2-1 through 8-2-3 and administered by the county water and sewer department superintendent with the concurrence of the county commissioner, Bartow County's single elected executive. Beyond the time window, subsection (h) separately bans wasteful practices such as watering during rain, operating a sprinkler with a broken head that sprays uncontrolled, or letting irrigation runoff flow onto pavement or a neighboring property.
Violations & Fines
Watering outside the 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. window, without an applicable exemption, violates Code § 74-58(f) and (i), enforced under sections 74-106 et seq. and 74-126 et seq., with fines of up to $1,000.00 per violation. Wasteful practices under subsection (h), like sprinklers that spray onto pavement or run during rain, can also draw a citation and, for wastage over 1.0 gallons per minute, immediate water service termination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I water my lawn in unincorporated Bartow County?
Are there exceptions to Bartow County's watering-hours rule?
What is the fine for watering outside the allowed hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartow County
How Bartow County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Bartow County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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