Newark Water and Sewer Utility enforces outdoor watering limits whenever the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection declares a drought watch, warning, or emergency for the Pequannock or Passaic basins serving the city.
Newark draws drinking water from the Pequannock watershed system, with supplementary supply from the Wanaque and Passaic Valley sources. When NJDEP issues a drought watch under N.J.A.C. 7:19A, the Newark Water and Sewer Utility activates voluntary or mandatory outdoor-watering limits, typically restricting irrigation to alternating odd or even calendar days and prohibiting daytime sprinkler use. Hand-held hoses, drip irrigation, and food-garden watering are usually exempt. The city coordinates with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission and posts current restriction levels through the utility website and 311.
Mandatory restrictions are enforceable through Newark Water and Sewer Utility ordinances. Penalties typically begin with written warnings, then escalate to fines roughly $100-$500 per violation, with possible service-line shutoff for chronic offenders.
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See how Newark's lawn watering restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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