North Hempstead, NY Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in North Hempstead, NY, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- No-watering hours
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily
- Seasonal shutdown
- Nov. 1 through Apr. 14
- Odd addresses water
- Mon, Wed, Fri
- Even addresses water
- Sun, Tue, Thu
- First-offense fine
- up to $250
- Coverage area
- Great Neck North Water Authority district
Summary
In the Great Neck North Water Authority service area, North Hempstead bans irrigation systems between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. every day and shuts them off entirely from November 1 through April 14. Under Code § 47A-15, odd-numbered addresses may water Monday, Wednesday and Friday, even-numbered addresses Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, capped at three days a week.
No irrigation system shall be used between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
B. No irrigation system shall be used on or between November 1 and April 14 of any year or on any day except the days indicated below, depending upon the number address of the premises where the irrigation system is located: (1) Odd-number addresses: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (2) Even-number addresses: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4892187; v82 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
This water conservation article covers 'the portion of the unincorporated area of the Town of North Hempstead within the area serviced by' the Water Authority of Great Neck North, as § 47A-13 defines TOWN for this article, and § 47A-14A applies it to every person using water there regardless of whose name is on the water account. , and § 47A-15B ties allowed watering days to house-number parity, odd addresses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and even addresses on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, with addresses lacking a number or with mixed numbers also on the Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday schedule; § 47A-15C caps any irrigation system at three days a week no matter what.
Since April 15, 1995, § 47A-16A has also required any irrigation system with an automatic on/off controller to run through a working rain or soil-moisture sensor, defined in § 47A-13 as a device capable of detecting at least one-eighth inch of rainfall and interrupting the system, calibrated to trigger no later than one-quarter inch of rain. If the Town has reason to believe a sensor isn't working, § 47A-16B lets it demand written certification by certified mail, giving the recipient 15 days to respond before enforcement proceedings begin.
Violations & Fines
Section 47A-17 places compliance responsibility on the owner, tenant or other user of the premises. A first offense carries a fine up to $250; a second or later offense within five years carries a fine up to $500, imprisonment up to 15 days, or both. Each day a watering-schedule violation continues is a separate offense, and each week a missing-sensor violation continues is a separate offense. For a second or later conviction, a judge may also require the defendant to install a separate water line and meter for the irrigation system as a condition of discharge under Penal Law § 65.10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I run my sprinklers in North Hempstead?
Can I water my lawn in the winter in North Hempstead?
Do I need a rain sensor on my automatic sprinkler system?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Hempstead
How North Hempstead compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·New York rules heatmap·Compare North Hempstead to another location·View the New York landscaping rules overview
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