Charleston, SC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Charleston, SC, 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
- Mayor's drought/emergency proclamation
- Co-issuing official
- Chairman, Commissioners of Public Works
- Banned acts (if proclaimed)
- Lawn/street sprinkling, car washing, pool use
- Billing change during ban
- Minimum charge waived, billed by meter only
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 30 days jail per day
Summary
Charleston has no year-round watering-day schedule. Instead, City Code Sec. 30-211 lets the mayor and the chairman of the Commissioners of Public Works proclaim water conservation measures during a drought or emergency, and Sec. 30-212 then bans lawn and street sprinkling, car washing and pool filling for however long the proclamation stays in force.
Immediately upon the issuance of a proclamation as provided in section 30-211 and so long as the same may be in force, it shall be unlawful for any person to commit such of the following acts as may be prohibited in such proclamation:(1)Washing carriages and automobiles in private and public garages or elsewhere.(2)Sprinkling private or public lawns.(3)Sprinkling streets.(4)Washing pavements.(5)Use of water in public or private swimming pools.(6)Use of water in flushing of sewers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 114 | Zoning: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " The mayor can then issue a proclamation applying any or all of the restrictions listed in Sec. 30-212 for as long as the mayor and the chairman jointly deem necessary. Once proclaimed, Sec. 30-212(a) makes it unlawful to commit any of the prohibited acts named in the proclamation, which can include washing carriages and automobiles in private and public garages or elsewhere, sprinkling private or public lawns, sprinkling streets, washing pavements, using water in public or private swimming pools, and using water for flushing sewers.
Sec. 30-212(b) requires public drinking and soda fountains to switch to sanitary single-use cups instead of reusable utensils that require washing, and Sec. 30-212(c) requires hostelries to post notices discouraging unnecessary water use for bathing. Sec. 30-213 removes the minimum water charge during a proclamation, billing customers only for actual metered consumption for the current quarter, which offsets the inconvenience of the restrictions. Outside of a declared emergency, the general code sets no separate watering-day calendar or irrigation permit system for residential or commercial landscaping.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 30-214 makes it a punishable offense to violate any restriction under Sec. 30-211 once the mayor has declared it in force, with penalties set under the Code's general penalty section, Sec. 1-16: a fine up to $500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Charleston have set watering days for lawns?
What happens to my water bill during a Charleston drought proclamation?
Can restaurants and hotels be restricted too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston
How Charleston compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Charleston to another location·View the South Carolina landscaping rules overview
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