Water restrictions in Flint, MI — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
The City of Flint does not impose day-to-day outdoor watering schedules or even/odd address restrictions. Flint's water utility - operated through the Department of Public Works and the Flint Water Service Center - draws from Lake Huron via the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) since the 2017 transition off the Flint River, and EPA lifted the 2016 Safe Drinking Water Act emergency order on May 19, 2025 after 97% of legacy lead service lines were replaced. Michigan does not have a statewide drought-emergency watering statute analogous to states like California; EGLE coordinates voluntary conservation guidance.
Flint's water-supply history is unique. After the 2014-2015 Flint Water Crisis (the well-documented public-health emergency arising from lead leaching following the switch to Flint River source water), the City returned to Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) treated Lake Huron water in 2017 and has operated under federal and state oversight ever since. EPA lifted the 2016 Safe Drinking Water Act emergency order on May 19, 2025 (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-lifts-2016-emergency-order-drinking-water-flint-michigan) after the City completed required lead-service-line replacements covering more than 97% of legacy lines. Day-to-day operations run through the Department of Public Works and the Flint Water Service Center on Dort Highway, with billing and water-quality information at https://www.cityofflint.com/progress-report-on-flint-water/. Because GLWA draws on Lake Huron - a Great Lakes source with effectively unlimited capacity at Flint's scale - the City has not imposed mandatory outdoor watering restrictions. Michigan does not have a statewide drought-watering statute. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) coordinates Drought Monitor tracking through the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and provides voluntary conservation guidance, but mandatory restrictions are not imposed automatically. Large groundwater withdrawals (over 100,000 gallons per day average) are regulated through the EGLE Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool under Part 327 of NREPA (MCL 324.32701+). Cross-connection control and standard service rules are administered through the Flint Water Department under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f+) and Michigan's Safe Drinking Water Act (MCL 325.1001+).
Flint does not impose civil penalties for outdoor watering at any time of day. Tampering with water meters or making unauthorized connections to the water system violates Flint Code service-rule provisions and is a misdemeanor under Michigan's Safe Drinking Water Act (MCL 325.1001+) with fines and potential service termination. Violation of cross-connection control rules can result in immediate service shutoff. Large groundwater withdrawals without an EGLE Water Withdrawal Assessment under Part 327 of NREPA are subject to EGLE civil penalties separate from local utility action.
Flint, MI
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Flint, MI
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