Franklin, TN Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Franklin, TN, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Mayor-declared water shortage emergency
- Status 1 threshold
- <30-day reservoir supply at 2.0 MGD
- Status 2 threshold
- <15-day reservoir supply at 2.0 MGD
- Banned use (Cat. 1)
- Lawn/landscape/ball-field watering
- Hand-watering exception
- 8 p.m.-6 a.m., hand-held only, non-grass plants
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor + fine + service disconnection
Summary
Lawn watering isn't banned in Franklin by default, but once the mayor declares a Water Shortage Emergency the city can prohibit it outright as a Category 1 nonessential use, along with pool filling and car washing. Status 1 kicks in when the raw water reservoir drops below a 30-day supply at the plant's 2.0 MGD design capacity.
(4)Nonessential uses during water shortage emergency.(a)Nonessential Use, Category 1. The following uses are declared to be Nonessential Uses, Category 1:(i)Washing sidewalks, driveways, parking areas, tennis courts, patios, or other exterior paved areas, except by the City of Franklin for the public safety.(ii)Filling or refilling swimming pool.(iii)Noncommercial washing of privately owned motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, trailers and boats.(iv)Any use of water from a fire hydrant except for fighting fires, or use by the City of Franklin.(v)Watering of lawns, landscaped areas, or ball fields, except that gardens, trees, shrubs or other plants other than grass or lawns may be watered to sustain the life of the plant material from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., using only hand-held mechanisms, buckets, or other similar devices.(vi)Water any portion of a golf course.(vii)Use of water for dust control or compaction during construction.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Municipal Code § 18-130(4)(a) lists watering restrictions inside the water shortage policy, triggered only after the mayor declares an emergency. 0 million-gallon-per-day design capacity, or when two or more distribution reservoirs can't be brought above two-thirds full within 48 hours (2); Status 2, the more severe tier, exists at a 15-day reserve or when reservoirs can't clear one-quarter full in 48 hours (3). using hand-held mechanisms or buckets. Category 2 and 3 restrictions target laundromats, car washes, utility districts, and nonresidential customers by capping their usage at 70 or 50 percent of the prior year's corresponding billing period.
Any prohibition stays in force until the next Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, which can extend, modify, or end it (6). The city must notify local media and publish a weekly newspaper notice while an emergency is declared (7).
Violations & Fines
Section 18-132 makes noncompliance with the water shortage chapter a misdemeanor, fined per Appendix A, Comprehensive Fees and Penalties, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; violators must also reimburse the city's actual administrative enforcement costs, capped at the Appendix A amount. Under § 18-130(8), a reported violation is investigated by the director, who can order immediate compliance and, if the customer refuses, disconnect water service outright. A first disconnection can be reversed by paying the standard reconnection charge and signing a sworn compliance statement; a repeat violation requires approval from the assistant city administrator for public works, whose decision can be appealed to the city administrator for a hearing within 72 hours, with service reinstated automatically if that deadline is missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Franklin always restrict lawn watering days?
What triggers a Status 1 water shortage in Franklin?
Can I still water my garden during a shortage?
What happens if I violate a Franklin water shortage order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin
How Franklin compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Franklin to another location·View the Tennessee landscaping rules overview
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