Fayetteville, NC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Fayetteville, NC, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Odd address ending
- Water Sun, Tue, Thu only
- Even address ending
- Water Sat, Mon, Wed only
- New sod/seeded lawn
- Any day, 30-day window
- Nursery/plant sellers
- Exempt, any day
- Enforcing agency
- PWC water resources division
- Penalty structure
- Civil penalty per day, Policy 640.03
Summary
Fayetteville's Public Works Commission runs a year-round mandatory watering schedule keyed to the last digit of your street address. Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 water Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday; even-ending addresses water Saturday, Monday and Wednesday, with automatic irrigation, sprinklers or hose-end devices covered.
It shall be mandatory for every user to comply with the following schedule for the irrigation of outdoor landscaping (such as grass, shrubbery, trees, flowers and vegetable gardens) on a year-round basis: For addresses that end in the number 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 watering of lawns, grass, shrubbery, trees, flowers and vegetable gardens using an automatic irrigation or sprinkler system or hose end sprinkling device shall only be done on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. For addresses that end in the number 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 watering shall only be done on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Provided, however, that a person regularly engaged in the sale of plants shall be permitted to use water for such purposes at any time or any day.
Full Breakdown
Under Code of Ordinances Sec. 28-265, every PWC water customer must follow the year-round irrigation schedule regardless of whether a drought has been declared. If your address ends in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9, you may run an automatic irrigation system, sprinkler or hose-end sprinkling device only on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. If it ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, watering is limited to Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. Plant nurseries and garden centers are exempt and may water any day. New sod, seeded lawns or freshly planted landscapes get a 30-day establishment window during which the owner may water any day of the week.
These baseline measures stay in force as long as PWC has not declared a Stage II Water Shortage Warning, Stage III Emergency or Stage IV Crisis under Sec. 28-267 through 28-269; a declared stage tightens the schedule further, cutting Stage II watering to two days a week and restricting Stage III/IV watering to hand-held hoses, containers or drip irrigation only. The chief operating officer of the water resources division monitors river flow, wet-well levels and demand under Sec. 28-270 to decide when a stage is triggered, with the general manager declaring Stages I and II and the Mayor proclaiming Stages III and IV. Property owners who also draw water from a private well while receiving PWC service must post a sign disclosing the alternate source.
Violations & Fines
PWC's general manager and its chief operating officer of water resources enforce this under Sec. 28-271: a written warning comes first, followed by a formal notice of violation if the activity continues. Each day a violation persists starting at 12:01 a.m. is a separate offense, and civil penalties follow the schedule in PWC Policy Section 640.03, the Water Shortage Ordinance Civil Penalty Policy. Continued or recurring violations can be referred for criminal prosecution in environmental court, and service can be terminated for a customer who does not correct the violation. Civil penalty assessments may be appealed under Sec. 28-272.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which watering days apply to my house?
Can I water every day after installing new sod?
What happens if PWC declares a water shortage stage?
What is the penalty for watering on the wrong day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fayetteville
How Fayetteville compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Fayetteville to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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