Cobb County, GA Water Use Rules: Recycled Water Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- conveyor car washes built after Jan. 1, 2011
- Recycling minimum
- at least 50% of water reused
- Exempt
- self-service and in-bay automatic car washes
- Scope
- unincorporated Cobb County only
Summary
Cobb County requires new conveyor car washes built after January 1, 2011 to install operational recycled water systems that reuse at least half of the water they use.
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... All new commercial conveyor car washes permitted and constructed after January 1, 2011, must install and maintain operational recycled water systems. A minimum of 50 percent of water utilized shall be recycled.
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
The county's water recycling requirement targets conveyor car washes specifically, the type where vehicles move through a wash tunnel on a belt. Facilities permitted and built before January 1, 2011 are grandfathered, and self-service and in-bay automatic car washes are exempt entirely regardless of build date. Any new conveyor wash must run an operational recycled water system that reclaims and reuses at least 50 percent of the water it uses, cutting demand on the county's potable water supply. This applies only in unincorporated Cobb County; Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell enforce their own separate codes.
Violations & Fines
Operating a new conveyor car wash without an operational recycled water system violates section 122-131 and can be enforced through the county's utilities code compliance and permitting process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply to self-service car washes?
What percentage of water must be recycled?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cobb County
Compare Cobb County to another location·View the Georgia water use rules overview
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