DeKalb County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in DeKalb 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
- Applies to
- Unincorporated DeKalb County water customers
- Trigger
- Declared water shortage or potential shortage
- Who orders it
- Chief executive officer
- Covered uses
- Lawn watering, automobile washing
- First conviction fine
- $250
- Third conviction
- $1,000, 24-hour jail minimum, service termination
Summary
When a water shortage or potential shortage threatens DeKalb County's water system, County Code § 25-31(b) lets the chief executive restrict unessential uses such as lawn watering and automobile washing to certain hours of the day, or prohibit them entirely, until the shortage or potential shortage no longer exists.
the chief executive may issue such warning to the public as appropriate to effect conservation measures or the chief executive may by order direct that unessential water usages, such as lawn watering and automobile washing, may be restricted to certain hours of the day or not permitted at all until the shortage or potential shortage no longer exists. Persons shall not violate such an order.
Full Breakdown
The ordinance gives DeKalb County's chief executive escalating tools once the county determines a shortage or potential shortage threatens domestic service and fire protection. The lighter tool is a public warning meant to prompt conservation, which asks customers to cut back voluntarily. The stronger tool is a formal order directing that unessential water usages be restricted to certain hours of the day or not permitted at all. The ordinance names lawn watering and automobile washing as its examples of unessential uses, so outdoor irrigation and at-home car washing are squarely covered once an order issues. An order carries no fixed end date; it stays in force until the shortage or potential shortage no longer exists, and the code states flatly that persons shall not violate such an order, which makes noncompliance itself the offense rather than leaving the order as a mere advisory. The restriction applies to the county water system serving unincorporated DeKalb County.
Violations & Fines
Enforcement escalates. A first violation draws a written warning, followed by a notice of violation if the problem is not corrected, and an immediate citation issues where there is an imminent threat to health or safety. Fines start at $250 on first conviction, rise to $500 for a second conviction within 12 months, and reach $1,000 plus a 24-hour minimum jail term and termination of water service for a third.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can DeKalb County restrict my lawn watering hours?
How long does a DeKalb County watering restriction last?
What's the penalty for watering during a ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
How DeKalb County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare DeKalb County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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