Union County, NC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Section 34-47 sets tiered water use restrictions for customers of the Union County water utility. Under Stage 0, the year-round conservation baseline that always applies absent a declared shortage, spray irrigation systems are limited to three days a week on the schedule UCW publishes in the water shortage response plan (WSRP); drip and handheld watering are unrestricted at every stage through Stage 3, and commercial nurseries may water stock by any method. The county manager declares escalating stages under § 34-45 and reports each declaration to the board of county commissioners at its next meeting.

Stage 1 (moderate) adds a ban on trucking hydrant water outside the county except for emergencies or bona fide farm use. -midnight, and eliminates personal vehicle washing outside commercial carwashes, new pool and fountain filling, and public building/sidewalk washing. Stage 3 (extreme) cuts irrigation to one day a week in the same night hours and eliminates all pool, hot tub, and fountain filling and restaurant drinking water service except on request. Stage 4 (exceptional) bans all non-essential water use, including all residential irrigation, and requires disposable dishware at restaurants.

Union County Water (UCW) enforces the division under § 34-51, with civil penalties scaling by stage and violation count, and customers may appeal a notice of violation to the water administrator within 15 calendar days under § 34-53. The division applies only to Union County water utility customers, not private wells, ponds, or reuse water.