Franklin County, KY Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Franklin County has no standing odd-even or day-of-week watering schedule. Chapter 53's Water Conservation subchapter instead sorts treated water from the Frankfort Electric and Water Plant Board into three classes and bans them in steps as a shortage deepens. Under § 53.21, Class 3 non-essential outdoor watering includes use of water for dirt control or compaction; watering of annual or non-woody plants, lawns, parks, golf course fairways, playing fields and other recreational areas; washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots and other hard-surface areas; washing down buildings or structures other than for immediate fire protection; and flushing gutters or permitting water to run or accumulate in any gutter or street.

Section 53.22 starts the sequence. When the General Manager of the Plant Board certifies a potential shortage in writing, the County Judge/Executive may publicly declare a water shortage advisory and call on customers to use voluntary measures to limit Class 3 use. Under § 53.23, a declared water shortage alert makes the ban mandatory on all Class 3 uses for the duration of the shortage, until a resolution of the governing body ends it. Under § 53.24, a declared water shortage emergency bans Class 2 uses as well. Class 2 outdoor watering is limited to items such as minimal watering of vegetable gardens, minimal watering of trees when necessary to preserve them, and watering woody plants where necessary to preserve them.

Section 53.25 authorizes the County Judge/Executive or the General Manager to promulgate further regulations during a shortage, subject to approval at the governing bodies' next regular or emergency meetings. Section 53.26 ends a declaration only after the General Manager certifies that the conditions no longer exist.