Sec. 86-25Outdoor irrigation activities
Needs a look
Residents could get cited in a court that's different from where other city violations are heard, with no clear penalty. See the fix
Plain English: what this chapter covers
This chapter covers Ashburn's city-run water, sewer and natural gas service. It sets the rules on connection permits, deposits, meters, late penalties and shutoffs, disputing a bill, and the city's right to come on your property to read meters and fix lines. It also covers outdoor watering hours, what you can and can't put down the sewer, when you have to tie into city sewer, and how the gas system extends lines to new customers. The actual rates and deposit amounts aren't in the code. They're kept on file with the city clerk.
Persons may irrigate outdoors daily for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.; provided, however, that this limitation shall not create any limitation upon the following outdoor water uses:
(1) Commercial raising, harvesting, or storing of crops; feeding, breeding, or managing livestock or poultry; the commercial production or storing of feed for use in the production of livestock, including, but not limited to, cattle, calves, swine, hogs, goats, sheep, and rabbits, or for use in the production of poultry, including, but not limited to, chickens, hens, ratites, and turkeys; producing plants, trees, fowl, or animals; or the commercial production of aquacultural, horticultural, dairy, livestock, poultry, eggs, and apiarian productions or as otherwise defined in § 1-3-3;
(2) Capture and reuse of cooling system condensate or stormwater in compliance with applicable and state guidelines;
(3) Reuse of gray water in compliance with § 31-3-5.2 and applicable local board of health regulations;
(4) Use of reclaimed wastewater by a designated user from a system permitted by the Environmental Production Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to provide reclaimed wastewater;
(5) Watering personal food gardens;
(6) Watering new and replanted plant, seed, or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following the date of installation;
(7) Drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses;
(8) Hand watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container;
(9) Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;
(10) Watering horticultural crops held for sale, resale, or installation;
(11) Watering athletic fields, golf courses, or public turf grass recreational areas;
(12) Installation, maintenance, or calibration of irrigation systems; or
(13) Hydroseeding.
This section governs outdoor irrigation activities only.
No person shall use or allow the use of water in violation of the restrictions on outdoor water use contained in this section.
The city shall be the enforcement authority for this section. The mayor or city manager may also authorize other departments as may be deemed necessary to support enforcement.
Any violation of this section may also be enforced by a citation or accusation returnable to the Magistrate Court or by any other legal means set forth in this Code of Ordinances.
The paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this section are severable. Should any paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this section be rendered invalid by any court of law, the remaining paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases shall not be affected but shall continue in effect until amended or repealed by the city.
History: (Ord. No. 10-06, § 1, 12-2-2010)
This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. The official code is on Municode and at City Hall. Our copy is from April 30, 2026.
Online: https://jamesburgessleads.com/city-code/PTIICOOR_CH86UT_ARTIIWASE_S86-25OUIRAC
Official version: https://library.municode.com/GA/Ashburn/codes/Code_of_Ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH86UT_ARTIIWASE_S86-25OUIRAC
Paid for by James Burgess