Water restrictions in Charlotte, NC — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Charlotte Water serves most of Mecklenburg County and enforces a Water Shortage Response Plan with five stages. Year-round, irrigation is limited to even/odd address days and banned between 10 AM and 6 PM during Stage 1 and higher.
Charlotte Water (operated by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department) is the public water utility for Charlotte and most of Mecklenburg County under contract. Its Water Shortage Response Plan, codified in Charlotte City Code Chapter 23, establishes stages tied to Catawba-Wateree reservoir levels and drought declarations. Stage 1 (Voluntary): alternate-day irrigation by address. Stage 2 (Mandatory): no irrigation 10 AM-6 PM, no washing paved surfaces, fines begin. Stage 3+: progressively tighter, including bans on new landscape installation. Residents on private wells are not subject to utility restrictions but are encouraged to conserve.
Stage 2 and higher violations: first offense warning, $100 second, $500 third, potential water service termination for chronic violators.
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