Frederick County, VA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Frederick County, VA, 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 addresses
- Water Tue, Thu, Sat only
- Even addresses
- Water Wed, Fri, Sun only
- Prohibited hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., no watering
- Emergency stage
- All landscape watering prohibited
- First-offense fine
- $50 (warning) / $100 (emergency)
Summary
During a drought warning in Frederick County outside Winchester, Stephens City and Middletown, lawn and landscape watering is limited to alternate days by street address, and it is barred entirely between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Reducing watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, and other established landscaping by implementing an alternate-day use schedule based on the last digit of residential or commercial address: odd-number addresses: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; even-number addresses: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with no watering to occur between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
m. The same drought-warning stage also bars expanding newly irrigated land required by the site design review process and stops new irrigation tap installations on the Frederick Water system. A(3)(b) separately lists watering of all shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants and landscaping among specifically prohibited water uses. The County Administrator, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Sanitation Authority, decides which stage applies and must report the declaration to the Board of Supervisors within 14 days; notice of the restrictions runs weekly in local media and on the county website for as long as they remain in effect, and violations only attach after that first published notice under § 75-5.
Violations & Fines
Watering outside the permitted alternate-day schedule or hours during a drought warning is a civil violation under § 75-7: a first offense draws a $50 fine, a second draws $100, and a third draws a $150 fine plus immediate disconnection from the Frederick County Sanitation Authority's water system for the rest of the warning stage, with service withheld until the fine, reconnection fee and other charges are paid. Watering at all during a declared drought emergency carries a first-offense fine of $100 and a second-offense fine of $150 with disconnection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I water my lawn in Frederick County during a drought warning?
Can I water my landscaping at all during a drought emergency?
What is the fine for watering on the wrong day in Frederick County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frederick County
How Frederick County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Frederick County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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