Henrico County, VA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Henrico 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
- Governing section
- County Code § 23-265
- Lawn watering
- Prohibited except 5-gal buckets
- Landscaping watering days
- 3 days/week by odd/even address
- First offense
- Written warning only
- Second offense fine
- $50.00 on next water bill
- Third+ offense fine
- $100.00 per offense
- Appeal window
- 10 days to director, then county manager
Summary
When Henrico declares mandatory public water restrictions, County Code § 23-265 sets a strict odd/even watering schedule for lawns and landscaping, bans fountains and vehicle washing, and limits golf courses and athletic fields to set hours. Violators face escalating fines up to $100 per offense, added straight to the water bill.
During mandatory public water restriction periods, the use of the public water system is limited as follows: ... (5) Established landscaping. Watering is limited to three days per week by address. Addresses ending in an odd number may water only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Addresses ending with an even number, or with no number, may water only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. No watering is allowed on Mondays. Bucket watering (five-gallon maximum size) is permitted any time. (6) Established lawns. Watering is prohibited except as follows: a. Bucket watering (five-gallon maximum size) is permitted any time. b. Watering is permitted for one day before and 30 days after refurbishment of established lawns by means of motorized core aeration and seeding, motorized thatching and seeding, or motorized light tilling and seeding, provided such refurbishment takes place between September 1 and October 31.
Full Breakdown
Section 23-265 activates only during declared "mandatory public water restriction periods," which begin under § 23-266 when the City of Richmond invokes its own restrictions, when James River flow levels trigger the county's DEQ intake permit conditions, or when the county manager declares a conservation need in writing; notice runs weekly in the Richmond Times-Dispatch while restrictions are in effect. Once active, established landscaping may be watered only three days a week by address: odd-numbered addresses on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, even-numbered or unnumbered addresses on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with no watering allowed Mondays; five-gallon bucket watering is always permitted.
Established lawns cannot be watered at all except by five-gallon bucket, or for one day before and 30 days after a motorized aeration, thatching or tilling-and-seeding refurbishment performed between September 1 and October 31. New landscaping and new lawns get a 30-day grace period after planting or sodding before the established-plant rules kick in. , capped at one inch total per ten-day period. All other businesses are limited to water essential for business use and human hygiene.
Violations & Fines
Section 23-267 penalizes anyone who uses, allows or causes water use in violation of the division after the § 23-266(c) notice is published. The first offense draws only a written warning delivered in person or posted by a Department of Public Utilities representative. A second offense carries a $50.00 fine added to the violator's next water bill, and the third and every later offense carries a $100.00 fine per offense, also billed directly. Each violation by a person counts separately no matter where it occurs. A person assessed a penalty can challenge it in writing to the director of public utilities within ten days; if the director upholds it, the person may appeal in writing to the county manager within another ten days, and the director may waive the penalty outright if the violation was through no fault of the person.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Henrico's watering restrictions actually apply?
Can I water my lawn at all during restrictions?
What is the fine for violating a watering restriction?
Can a Henrico water violation penalty be appealed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Henrico County
How Henrico County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Henrico County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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