Water restrictions in Greensboro, NC — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Greensboro enforces tiered outdoor watering restrictions tied to NC drought classifications. Stage 2 limits sprinklers to 10 PM-4 AM on assigned days.
Greensboro Water Resources manages water conservation and drought restrictions for city water customers. The city draws from three surface water reservoirs -- Lake Townsend, Lake Brandt, and Lake Higgins -- in northern Guilford County. Outdoor watering restrictions follow a tiered system based on the county's drought classification as determined by the NC Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) and updated weekly via the US Drought Monitor every Thursday. Under Stage 1 (D1 Moderate Drought), voluntary conservation is encouraged. Under Stage 2 (D2 Severe Drought), automatic sprinkler and hose-end sprinkler use is restricted to the hours of 10 PM to 4 AM on assigned watering days only. Handheld hose watering of flowers, shrubs, trees, and vegetable gardens is allowed at any time under most restriction stages. Watering impervious surfaces such as streets and sidewalks is prohibited at all times. The city may impose additional mandatory restrictions during extreme drought conditions.
Violations of mandatory water restrictions may result in warnings for a first offense and escalating fines for subsequent violations. During severe drought stages, the city actively monitors compliance with watering schedules. Persistent violations may result in water service restrictions.
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