Cary, NC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Cary, 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
- Restriction
- Irrigation on assigned alternate days only
- Exempt
- Hand-held hoses, drip irrigation, cans
- Enforcement
- Utilities director, police, or designee
- Penalty trigger
- Civil penalty after second notice
- Effective through
- Local ord. 2024-Code-04 (12-12-2024)
Summary
The Town of Cary limits outdoor irrigation from its water system to alternate days assigned by street address, with hand-held watering exempt.
No person shall use potable water supplied by the town water system to irrigate the landscape on any property except on alternate days assigned to that property for irrigating the landscape. The days of the week on which irrigation of the landscape can take place at a particular property shall be determined by that property's street address. The Town Manager or designee shall develop a Standard Procedure setting forth irrigation days for the various street addresses and other details of alternate day watering. Such Standard Procedure shall be developed, maintained and amended as needed to keep the irrigation days and administration procedures consistent with recommendations from area experts such as the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service and technological advances. The use of "reclaimed" or "reused" water, pond water, rainwater and well water or other nonpotable water is not governed by this section, nor is the watering of plant material and lawns by use of drip irrigation, watering cans, hand-held hoses, and other hand-held watering tools.
(c) Violations. Each day a violation occurs is a separate violation. Any person violating this section may be cited for each day on which a violation occurs.
(d) Penalties. Penalties for violation of this section are as set forth herein. The town may use any one, or combination, of penalties and enforcement mechanisms. Imposition of one or more penalties for any violation shall not
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2023 S-87_S-57: Current through local ordinance 2022-Code-05, passed 11-17-2022 and effective 11-17-2022 | LDO: Current through local ordinance 2022-LDO-04, passed 11-17-22 and effective 11-17-22).
Full Breakdown
Cary Code of Ordinances § 36-80 bars using town potable water to irrigate landscaping except on the alternate day assigned to a property's street address; the Town Manager sets the specific irrigation-day schedule by Standard Procedure. Drip irrigation, watering cans, hand-held hoses, and use of reclaimed, pond, rain, or well water fall outside the restriction. Violators may be cited daily, and the Town Manager can restrict or suspend water service during a declared shortage.
Violations & Fines
Civil penalty per the town fee schedule after a second notice; each day of violation is separately citable; violation is also a misdemeanor and can trigger service suspension.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which days can I water my lawn in Cary, NC?
Can I still hand-water on off days in Cary?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cary
How Cary compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Cary to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle water restrictions.