Walton County, GA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Walton 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
- Nondrought watering hours
- 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily
- Odd-address watering days
- Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
- Even-address watering days
- Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
- Enforcing agencies
- Sheriff, Water and Sewerage, Planning and Development
- Max fine, 3rd nondrought violation
- $300.00
- Drought level four
- No outdoor watering allowed
Summary
In unincorporated Walton County, the Outdoor Water Use Ordinance sets a daily watering window of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. and assigns watering days by address: odd-numbered addresses water Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, even-numbered addresses water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Georgia EPD drought declarations tighten the schedule further, and violations bring citations in magistrate court.
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. (12:00 midnight to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight). ... Except for outdoor water use for (i) the landscape activities listed in paragraph (a)(1) above, (ii) those activities exempted under paragraph (a)(2) above, and (iii) those activities exempt under section 39-256, outdoor water use shall occur as follows:(1)Odd-numbered addresses: Outdoor water use is allowed only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.(2)Even-numbered addresses: Outdoor water use is allowed only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Full Breakdown
§ 12-5-7 and the Georgia EPD's outdoor watering rules, Ga. Comp. ch. 391-3-30. m. Outdoor water use is further restricted to three days a week tied to street address: odd-numbered addresses may water Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and even-numbered addresses may water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Section 39-256 exempts drip irrigation, hand watering with an automatic shutoff nozzle, newly installed landscaping for its first 30 days, personal food gardens, and licensed commercial landscapers and irrigation contractors during installation. When the Georgia EPD declares a drought response level, § 39-255 layers on tighter schedules: level one keeps the three-day, address-based schedule but confines it to overnight hours; level two drops to overnight-only watering with a ban on washing hard surfaces; level three permits only a single scheduled day per address group and bans pool filling, vehicle washing and ornamental fountains; and level four bars all outdoor watering outright except EPD-approved uses.
The Sheriff's Office, the Water and Sewerage Department and the Planning and Development Department enforce the ordinance and may cite violators to magistrate court under § 39-257.
Violations & Fines
A first nondrought or level-one violation draws a written warning under § 39-258; a second nondrought violation can bring a fine up to $150.00, and a third or later violation up to $300.00, plus possible water service termination. Fines escalate with drought severity: up to $350.00 at level two, $1,000.00 by level three, and up to $1,000.00 with possible jail time up to 60 days at level four.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I water my lawn every day in unincorporated Walton County?
What happens during a declared drought?
Who enforces the outdoor watering ordinance?
What is the penalty for repeat violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walton County
How Walton County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Walton County to another location·View the Georgia landscaping rules overview
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