Charlotte Water will implement mandatory water restrictions beginning Friday, May 15, 2026, due to ongoing dry conditions. The measures align with regional partners under the Low Inflow Protocol’s Stage 2.
Charlotte Water is asking customers to reduce non-essential water use to help protect the region’s water supply. The goal is to reduce the region's total water usage by 5-10%.
Fines for people violating mandatory restrictions will start at $100. Restrictions include:
- Customers may irrigate lawns and landscapes no more than two days per week, and only between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Homes with odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while even-numbered addresses may water on Wednesdays and Sundays.
- Residential swimming pools may be topped off only on Thursdays and Sundays, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Charlotte Water says customers may not wash vehicles at home, fill residential swimming pools, operate water features that do not support aquatic life, power wash surfaces for non-essential purposes, or hold charity or fundraising car wash events.
- The utility is also recommending additional conservation steps, including reducing indoor and outdoor water use, limiting lawn watering to no more than one inch per week — including rainfall — and identifying and repairing leaks as quickly as possible.
Customers are still permitted to use drip irrigation, soaker hoses, or hand-watering for plants and landscaping, and to use commercial car wash facilities. Charlotte Water spokesperson Cam Coley explained what reduction should look like for the average customer.
"Best way to think of that is 1 inch of water per week, and that includes rain," Coley said. "So if it rains a 0.5 inch or 1 inch, you don't need to water your lawn. The other part of that is just any non-essential use that you have in your home, outside your home, just please think of the ways that you can reduce the total amount of water where you can."
If conditions worsen, additional response measures could be considered in alignment with regional protocols.
