Forsyth County, GA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Recycling minimum
- 50% of water used
- Cutoff date
- Jan 1, 2011 for new washes
- Covered facility
- conveyor car washes only
- Exempt
- self-service and in-bay washes
- Penalty
- citation under § 1-12
Summary
Every new conveyor car wash built or permitted in Forsyth County after January 1, 2011 must install an operational recycled water system that reuses at least 50 percent of the water it uses per wash cycle. The county adopted the rule to cut commercial water demand. Self-service washes, in-bay automatic washes, and conveyor washes permitted before the 2011 cutoff are exempt.
(a)Purpose and intent. The purpose of this section is to reduce water consumption from commercial car wash facilities by requiring all new conveyor car washes to install operational recycled water systems.(b)Applicability. This section applies to all new conveyor car washes permitted and constructed after January 1, 2011, regardless of the water source... this section shall not apply to self-service car washes or in-bay car washes...(d)Car wash water recycling. All new commercial conveyor car washes permitted and constructed after January 1, 2011 must install operational recycled water systems. A minimum of 50 percent of water utilized shall be recycled.(e)[Violation.] Any person found to have violated any provision of this article may be issued a citation, which shall be punishable pursuant to section 1-12 of the County Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
Forsyth County Code section 18-179 targets one specific type of commercial water user: the conveyor car wash, where a vehicle moves through a tunnel on a belt while the driver waits inside or outside. Any conveyor wash permitted and constructed on or after January 1, 2011 has to install a working recycled water system before opening, regardless of whether its water comes from the county system or a private well. The recycling requirement is specific: at least 50 percent of the water the facility uses must be recycled water, not fresh intake.
The ordinance carves out exemptions from the equipment mandate. Conveyor car washes permitted or built before January 1, 2011 are grandfathered and never have to retrofit. Self-service car washes, where customers wash their own vehicles with spray wands and brushes, are excluded entirely, as are in-bay automatic car washes, where the vehicle stays parked while a machine cycles over it. The county's stated purpose is reducing water consumption from commercial car wash facilities specifically, reflecting Forsyth's status as a fast-growing Lake Lanier county where water demand competes with reservoir levels managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
The recycling requirement sits alongside chapter 18's broader water and sewer rules covering drought-response irrigation limits, backflow prevention and nonpayment shutoffs, so a new car wash operator has to clear the recycling install along with standard water service hookup review before opening.
Violations & Fines
Operating a new conveyor car wash built after January 1, 2011 without an operational recycled water system, or without recycling at least 50 percent of water used, violates section 18-179. Anyone found in violation may be issued a citation punishable under section 1-12 of the county code, the general penalty provision, applied through the magistrate court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the recycling rule apply to my self-service car wash bay?
What percentage of water has to be recycled?
Does an older car wash have to retrofit?
What happens if a car wash skips the recycling system?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the Georgia water use rules overview
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