Dothan, AL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Dothan's water conservation plan runs four stages. Stage I is voluntary conservation, asking customers to limit water to what's necessary for health, business and outdoor use (§ 102-165(c)(1)). Stage II, water alert, applies automatically every April 1 through October 1, or other months if the city manager implements it after public notice, and bans sprinkler and hose-end irrigation of lawns, gardens and landscaping except on the odd/even schedule; a handheld hose with a cutoff nozzle or a small handheld watering container is exempt any day, newly sodded yards get a four-week exemption with the utilities director's written approval, and commercial nurseries are exempt from the day schedule but told to limit use to what's necessary (§ 102-165(c)(2)).

Stage III, water warning, cuts watering to twice weekly, Tuesday/Saturday for odd addresses or Sunday/Wednesday for even addresses, with no watering 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. those days; it also restricts vehicle washing and pool filling to those same days and hours (commercial car washes exempt), bans washing sidewalks, streets, driveways and other paved areas except by city street or fire crews, and requires a water department permit to draw from a fire hydrant (§ 102-165(c)(3)). Stage IV, water emergency, bans all outdoor irrigation, restricts vehicle washing to commercial car washes, bars fire hydrant use except by city departments maintaining the system, and prohibits filling swimming pools entirely (§ 102-165(c)(4)).

Golf courses must follow Stage II or III restrictions and stop watering fairways altogether in Stage IV (§ 102-166). The city manager declares or ends a stage by public announcement, effective immediately (§ 102-167). Enforcement is graduated under § 102-164: a written warning with 30 minutes to correct on a first offense, then escalating disconnection fees for repeat offenses in the same calendar year, administered by the utilities director or a designee.