Brunswick County, NC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Brunswick County, NC, 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 law
- Brunswick County Code § 1-13-142
- Who declares it
- Public Utilities Department director
- Stage 2 trigger
- 90% demand, 2 consecutive days
- Stage 3 trigger
- 100% demand, 1 day
- Commercial reduction target
- 20% (Stage 2), 50% (Stage 3)
Summary
Brunswick County's Water Emergency Ordinance lets the public utilities director impose three escalating stages of watering restrictions during drought or system failure. Stage 2 and Stage 3 bar hose-end lawn and shrub watering outright, with narrow exceptions for hand-held hoses and drip irrigation.
a.Watering lawns, grass, shrubbery, trees, flower and vegetable gardens except by hand held hoses, container, or drip irrigation system. A person who regularly sells plants will be permitted to use water on their commercial stock. A golf course may water their greens. State and county licensed landscape contractors may water any plants by hand held hose or drip irrigation under a written warranty.b.Filling swimming or wading pools, either newly constructed or previously drained. Make up water for pools in operation will be allowed.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 1-13-142 of the Brunswick County Code gives the public utilities director authority to declare a water shortage emergency and impose staged restrictions on every water customer served by the county system. peak hours. Stage 2 ("water shortage warning"), triggered at 90 percent demand for two consecutive days, makes restrictions mandatory: watering lawns, grass, shrubbery, trees, and gardens is prohibited except by hand-held hose, container, or drip irrigation, with exceptions for commercial plant nurseries, golf course greens, and licensed landscape contractors using hand-held or drip methods under written warranty.
Filling swimming pools, washing vehicles other than by licensed car washes, and washing building exteriors and paved surfaces are also barred in Stage 2. Stage 3 ("water shortage danger"), triggered at 100 percent demand for even one day, bans lawn, grass, shrubbery, tree, and flower watering entirely, with vegetable gardens limited to hand-held hose or drip. Commercial and industrial customers must hit a 20 percent usage reduction target in Stage 2 and 50 percent in Stage 3. Public and private water systems that buy water from the county must adopt and enforce this same ordinance as a condition of service.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 1-13-142(d) authorizes fines under the county's schedule of rates and charges for any customer found violating mandatory Stage 2 or Stage 3 restrictions. The county can also temporarily discontinue water service for continued non-compliance under subsection (e), and repeated violations can lead to meter removal with forfeiture of tap fees and deposits. Customers may appeal a penalty or termination to the director under subsection (f), who issues a final written decision by certified mail within three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I water my lawn during a Stage 2 water emergency in Brunswick County?
What triggers a mandatory water restriction stage?
What happens if I violate the mandatory watering restrictions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
How Brunswick County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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