Water restrictions in Suffolk County, NY — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) enforces odd-even outdoor watering countywide. Homes with odd street numbers water on odd calendar days, even numbers on even days; watering between 10 AM and 4 PM is prohibited May 1-September 30. SCWA serves 1.2 million residents from the sole-source aquifer.
SCWA adopted the odd-even schedule under its customer rules, approved by the NY Public Service Commission. The ban on midday watering (10 AM-4 PM) reduces evaporation loss. Residents on private wells are encouraged but not required to follow the same schedule. During drought declarations by the County Executive, stricter rules (every-third-day or total outdoor watering bans) may apply. Rain sensors are required on new automatic irrigation systems under 2015 NY law.
Violating odd-even or midday rules: SCWA warning, then $250 fine, then potential service surcharges on future bills. Repeat violations: flow restrictors installed. Irrigating during drought ban: enhanced fines up to $1,000.
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See how Suffolk County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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