Water restrictions in Columbia County, GA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Columbia County follows Georgia's statewide watering schedule, not metro-Atlanta district rules. Under the 2010 Water Stewardship Act (O.C.G.A. §12-5-7), outdoor watering is allowed daily only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., year-round, for anyone on an EPD-permitted system.
Columbia County sits in the Central Savannah River Area, drawing its supply from the Savannah River and Clarks Hill (J. Strom Thurmond) Lake, so the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District rules that govern metro Atlanta do not apply here. Instead, the statewide schedule set by the Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010 controls: outdoor watering to grow or maintain plants is allowed only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., every day, all year. Hand-watering with an automatic shut-off, drip irrigation, new-planting establishment, food gardens, and private-well use are exempt and allowed anytime. During declared droughts, Georgia EPD and the county water utility can impose tighter limits.
Watering outside the 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. window violates state law and county utility rules. Enforcement starts with a warning and escalates to fines during drought stages.
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See how Columbia County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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