Moore County, NC Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Moore County, NC, 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
- Moore County Code § 8-351
- Stage 2 watering days
- Twice weekly, even/odd address split
- Stage 2 hours
- 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight only
- Stage 2 irrigation cap
- One-half inch of water per week
- First-offense fine, Stage 2-3
- Warning, then $250.00
- Water system covered
- Moore County Public Utilities (Addor)
Summary
Customers of the Moore County Public Utilities (Addor) water system face staged, mandatory irrigation cutbacks once the county declares a water shortage. At Stage 2, lawns and gardens can be watered only twice a week on assigned days between 5:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight, capped at a half inch of irrigation weekly.
In Stage 2, moderate mandatory conservation, all customers are expected to reduce their water use by 30 percent in comparison to their previous month's water bill. ... No person shall: a.Water lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, flowers, golf greens or vegetable gardens except between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight, twice weekly with even-numbered addresses allowed to irrigate on Mondays and Thursdays; and odd-numbered addresses allowed to irrigate on Tuesdays and Fridays. Total irrigation is limited to a half inch per week. ... Citations are assessed according to the following schedule depending on the number of prior violations and current level of water shortage. Water Shortage Level First Violation Second Violation Third Violation ... Moderate and severe mandatory conservation (Stages 2 and 3) Warning $250 Discontinuation of service
Full Breakdown
Section 8-351 of the Moore County Code sets out the county's Water Shortage Response Plan for the Moore County Public Utilities (Addor) system, one of the county-operated water systems that buys its water wholesale from the Town of Southern Pines and must follow Southern Pines' own shortage triggers. The plan runs five stages. Stage 1 is voluntary, asking customers to cut use by 20 percent with no penalty. and 12:00 midnight, twice weekly, with even-numbered addresses irrigating Mondays and Thursdays and odd-numbered addresses Tuesdays and Fridays, and it caps total irrigation at a half inch per week.
The same stage also bars refilling pools beyond evaporation losses, washing paved surfaces with drinking water, and washing vehicles outside a commercial car wash unless the property uses a private well. Stage 3 bans all nonessential drinking-water use and adds a drought surcharge of one and one-half times the normal rate; Stage 4 adds a two-times surcharge and a near-total outdoor ban; Stage 5, water rationing, imposes a five-times surcharge and restricts use to minimum public-health needs. A nearly identical plan under Section 8-352 covers the county's other water system, The Carolina. Section 8-351(7) lets a customer apply to the county manager for a variance, decided within two weeks.
Violations & Fines
Moore County Public Utilities personnel and local law enforcement issue citations under the schedule in Section 8-351(5): for Stage 2 or 3 (moderate/severe mandatory conservation), a first violation draws a warning, a second draws a $250.00 citation, and a third results in discontinuation of water service. Emergency mandatory conservation (Stage 4) starts at $250.00 on the first violation and moves straight to discontinuation on the second. Water rationing (Stage 5) starts at $500.00 on the first violation before discontinuation follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I water my lawn during a Moore County water shortage?
What happens if I ignore the watering restrictions?
Does this rule apply to every property in unincorporated Moore County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moore County
How Moore County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Moore County to another location·View the North Carolina landscaping rules overview
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