Cobb County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Cobb County, GA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Non-drought watering hours
- 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily
- Drought Level 2 schedule
- 2 days/week, odd-even addresses
- Drought Level 3 rule
- General outdoor irrigation banned
- Enforcement agency
- Cobb County Water System (CCWS)
- First violation penalty
- Written warning only, no fine
- Rain sensor fine
- Up to $100 per violation
- Show-cause hearing deadline
- 30 days after posted violation
Summary
Cobb County limits outdoor irrigation of lawns, gardens, and landscaping to the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. year-round in unincorporated Cobb County, under Code Section 122-262. The rule tightens automatically once the state EPD declares a drought response level, cutting irrigation to two days a week at level 2 and banning general outdoor irrigation outright at level 3. The Cobb County Water System enforces it through a warning-then-penalty system tied directly to the customer's water bill.
Outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants may occur only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.; provided, however, that this limitation shall not create any limitation upon the following outdoor water uses during non-drought periods: ... (e)Watering personal food gardens;(f)Watering new and replanted plant, seed, or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following the date of installation;(g)Drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses;(h)Hand watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container;(i)Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53).
Full Breakdown
Division 9 of Chapter 122 governs outdoor water use across unincorporated Cobb County; Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs, and Austell each run their own water code and set their own rules. Section 122-262 sets the baseline: watering to plant, grow, manage, or maintain ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants is allowed only between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., every day, whether or not a drought has been declared. Thirteen listed uses are carved out of that clock entirely, including hand watering with an automatic shutoff nozzle, drip and soaker-hose irrigation, personal food gardens, newly installed turf and plants for their first 30 days after installation, and water drawn from a private well or on-site surface water.
Once the Georgia EPD declares a drought response level under Rule 391-3-30-.05, Section 122-263 layers on stricter rules within five days. Level 2 restricts general irrigation to two days a week on an odd-even address schedule, even addresses on Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses on Thursday and Sunday, and bans washing hard surfaces, ornamental fountains, and vehicle washing outside a commercial car wash. Level 3 suspends general outdoor irrigation altogether, limiting even the exempt categories to the 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. window unless the work is done by drip irrigation or soaker hose.
Section 122-266 separately requires any newly installed landscape irrigation system with an electronic controller to carry a rain sensor shut-off switch, exempting golf courses and systems running off a non-public water source; installing a controller without the sensor draws a fine of up to $100 per violation. Section 122-267's water waste ordinance penalizes broken sprinkler heads, runoff onto pavement, an unattended hose without a shutoff nozzle, and any visible leak exceeding one gallon per minute, under the same penalty schedule as the watering-hours rule itself.
Violations & Fines
CCWS enforces watering violations directly through the customer's water account. A first violation draws only a posted and mailed written warning, with no fine attached. A second violation at the same address triggers an administrative penalty set by the board of commissioners, added to the customer's regular bill; unpaid penalties can lead to termination of service. A customer may request a written show-cause hearing within 30 days of the posted violation. CCWS can also pursue a criminal citation in magistrate court under Section 1-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I water my lawn in Cobb County?
Does this rule apply if I live in Marietta or Smyrna?
What happens the first time I'm caught watering outside the hours?
Do I need a rain sensor on my sprinkler system?
Can I still water my vegetable garden during a drought?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cobb County
How Cobb County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Cobb County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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