Spotsylvania County, VA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Spotsylvania 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 law
- Spotsylvania County Code §§ 22-201–22-207
- Who declares it
- County administrator, with board chairman's approval
- Fine range
- $100 to $2,500 per violation, per day
- Reconnection fee
- $50 after a water-service shutoff
- Overage charge (Condition 3)
- Up to $35.00 per 1,000 gallons over allotment
- Nursery exception
- Weekly watering allowed for 5 weeks after planting
Summary
Spotsylvania County restricts outdoor watering, car washing, pool filling and other nonessential uses once the county administrator declares a water emergency under Chapter 22. County Code § 22-205 lets the administrator order lawn and shrubbery watering curtailed to protect strained reservoirs and wells, with violators facing fines and possible water shutoff under § 22-206.
(b)Condition 2: When very limited supplies of water are available, the county administrator shall order curtailment of less essential usages of water, including, but not limited to, one (1) or more of the following:(1)The watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, or any other vegetation, except indoor plantings, greenhouse or nursery stocks and except limited watering for newly seeded lawns and watering by commercial nurseries of freshly planted plants upon planting and once a week for five (5) weeks following planting.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 22, Division 8 of the Spotsylvania County Code gives the county administrator power to declare a water emergency when climatic, hydrological or other conditions threaten the public water supply, subject to the chairman of the board of supervisors' approval under § 22-201. Once declared, § 22-202 requires the administrator to post notice at the circuit courthouse and publish it in a local newspaper. Section 22-203 then authorizes restricted or absolute curtailment of nonessential water use, weighing reservoir levels, draw-down rates, well capacity, weather and fire-service needs.
00 per 1,000 gallons above the allotment as of July 1, 2008; Condition 4 restricts water to uses absolutely essential to life, health and safety. Businesses or institutions that would suffer severe economic hardship can seek an exemption from the administrator under § 22-204, with appeal to the board of supervisors. Each written determination goes into the administrator's public file and is transmitted to the board. The emergency ends only when the administrator notifies the board under § 22-207 that conditions have improved and the board concurs.
Violations & Fines
Violating any water emergency restriction is a criminal offense under § 22-206: courts may fine offenders between $100 and $2,500, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense in addition to the Condition 3 overage charges billed under § 22-205(c). The county administrator may also suspend water service to repeat violators, and reconnection after a shutoff costs a $50 fee before service is restored.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Spotsylvania County have year-round watering-day rules?
What outdoor watering does Condition 2 curtail?
What happens if I keep watering after restrictions take effect?
Can a business get an exemption from water curtailment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spotsylvania County
How Spotsylvania County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Spotsylvania County to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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