Noblesville, IN Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Noblesville's outdoor watering rules only kick in when the Mayor formally declares a water warning or water emergency under § 96.04, triggered when Morse Reservoir drops below roughly 50% (warning) or 25% (emergency) of its annual drawdown design capacity, or when groundwater wells serving Indiana American Water, Westfield Utilities or Citizens Water can't keep up. Once a warning or emergency is declared, § 96.05(A) makes it unlawful to sprinkle or irrigate grass, wash vehicles except for health or safety reasons, use water to clean sidewalks or driveways, fill empty swimming pools, install new sod, run non-recycling decorative fountains, or use fire hydrants for anything but fire suppression.

If the Mayor escalates to a full water emergency, § 96.05(B) bars essentially all outdoor watering, though residents may still hand-water vegetable gardens, flowers, trees under five years old and sod less than three weeks old every other day with a container or a hose fitted with a shut-off nozzle. Nurseries are exempt for inventory-preservation watering under § 96.05(C), and the Mayor can grant additional exemptions for commercial car washes, golf courses on a set every-other-day schedule, and city parks watering under § 96.05(D). Notice of a declared warning or emergency, and of its termination, runs in a local newspaper and through public news releases, effective on publication under § 96.04(B). Any city police officer or a designee of the Planning Director can issue citations under § 96.98.