Coweta County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Coweta County, GA, 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 sections
- Sec. 78-201 to 78-205 (Ord. No. 041-10, 12-9-10)
- Watering window
- 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily
- Enforcement
- Code Enforcement Office; magistrate court citation
- Key exemption
- Drip/soaker irrigation and auto-cutoff hand watering
- New landscaping grace period
- 30 days after planting or sodding
- State override
- Georgia EPD/General Assembly rules control automatically
Summary
Coweta County limits outdoor watering of lawns, gardens, and landscaping in the unincorporated area to the hours between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. under Sec. 78-201, with broad exemptions for drip irrigation, hand watering, food gardens, new plantings, and agriculture; the Code Enforcement Office enforces violations through magistrate court citations.
Outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants in the unincorporated area may occur only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., unless such hours are changed by the Environmental Protection Division of the State of Georgia or the General Assembly of the State of Georgia... (e)Watering personal food gardens;...(g)Drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses;(h)Hand watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container;... (a)No person shall use or allow the use of water in violation of the restrictions on outdoor water use contained in ordinance.(b)The Code Enforcement Office shall be responsible for the enforcement of this ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40).
Full Breakdown
Article VII of Chapter 78, adopted by Ord. No. , unless the state Environmental Protection Division or General Assembly changes those hours. The restriction carries thirteen carved-out exemptions under Sec. 2; use of reclaimed wastewater; personal food gardens; new or replanted plants, seed, or turf for 30 days after installation; drip irrigation or soaker hoses; hand watering with an automatic-cutoff hose or handheld container; use of private well or on-site surface water; watering horticultural crops held for sale; watering athletic fields, golf courses, or public turf recreation areas; irrigation-system installation, maintenance, or calibration; and hydroseeding.
Sec. 78-202 assigns enforcement to the county's Code Enforcement Office, though the county manager may authorize other departments to assist, and violations may be pursued by citation or accusation to magistrate court or any other legal means in the Code. Sec. 78-205 automatically incorporates any conflicting state EPD or General Assembly rule on outdoor water use, so state action can tighten or loosen the local hours without a new county ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Using or allowing outdoor water use outside the 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. window, without qualifying for one of the Sec. 78-201 exemptions, violates Sec. 78-202(a). The Code Enforcement Office, or any department the county manager designates to assist, may pursue a citation or accusation returnable to Coweta County Magistrate Court, or any other legal remedy set out elsewhere in the Code, per Sec. 78-202(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I water my lawn in unincorporated Coweta County?
Can I hand-water my flower beds anytime?
Does the watering restriction apply to newly sodded lawns?
What happens if I'm caught watering outside the allowed hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coweta County
How Coweta County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Coweta County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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