Bethlehem, PA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Bethlehem, PA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Short-term water supply shortage
- Step one
- Voluntary curtailment request
- Step two
- Mandatory conservation, flow restriction enforced
- Restricted use
- Lawn, shrub, and garden watering
- Noncompliance remedy
- Valve restricted up to 1/2 flow
- First offense penalty
- $200 fine, up to 30 days
Summary
Bethlehem can order mandatory water conservation during a supply shortage, and the first thing it bans is outdoor watering: § 911.12 lists sprinkling lawns, shrubs, gardens, and other vegetation as a nonessential use once mandatory measures take effect, alongside car washing and pool filling.
(a) General. If the City is experiencing a short-term supply shortage, the City may request general conservation of inside water uses and may impose mandatory conservation measures to reduce or eliminate nonessential use of water. (b) Voluntary Conservation. The City shall first request voluntary curtailment of all non-essential uses of water. (c) Mandatory Conservation. If voluntary cooperation does not achieve satisfactory results, mandatory compliance will be imposed. If any customer refuses to comply with such mandatory measures, the City may either adjust the outside water valve connection in a manner, which will restrict water flow by up to 1/2, or otherwise restrict flow such as by the ... insertion of a plug device. (d) Nonessential Uses of Water Include: (1) The use of hoses, sprinklers, or other means for sprinkling or watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers, or other vegetation.
Full Breakdown
12 sets up a two-step water conservation contingency plan for short-term supply shortages. The City first requests voluntary curtailment of nonessential water use; if that doesn't produce results, it can impose mandatory conservation. A customer who refuses to comply with mandatory measures can have the outside water valve adjusted to restrict flow by up to half, or have a plug device inserted to cut flow further. 12(d) defines nonessential uses subject to restriction, starting with using hoses, sprinklers, or any other means to water shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, or flowers.
The same list bars washing cars and other vehicles, washing streets, driveways, parking lots, building exteriors, and sidewalks, running ornamental fountains, filling swimming or wading pools, running water-cooled air conditioning without water-conserving equipment, drawing hydrant water for construction or fire drills, flushing sewer lines, and non-minimal use by commercial farms and nurseries. 12(e)-(f) recognizes that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Council can impose its own Water Rationing Plan under the Emergency Management Services Code, and that during a Governor-declared drought emergency Bethlehem can collect fines under its Local Water Rationing Plan as filed with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Violations & Fines
A customer who won't comply with mandatory conservation measures can have their outside water flow throttled by up to half, or have a plug device installed to restrict it further, under § 911.12(c). Water service violations generally fall under Article 911's penalty section, § 911.99, which sets fines of $200 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for a third or later offense, each with an alternative jail term of up to 90 days, on top of the City's right to shut off water for noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bethlehem stop me from watering my lawn?
What happens if I keep watering my lawn after Bethlehem orders mandatory conservation?
Does Bethlehem have permanent watering-day rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
How Bethlehem compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Bethlehem to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview
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