Watering the Lawn in Dawsonville: Drought Rules and the State Schedule

The drought declaration

The City of Dawsonville's utilities page notes that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division issued a Level 1 Drought Response declaration on April 27, 2026. Drought responses in Georgia are declared by EPD and can be raised, lowered or lifted as conditions change, so check EPD's current status before planning a new lawn or a big planting.

The non-drought schedule

Outside of drought responses, Georgia's non-drought outdoor water use schedule, published by EPD, limits daily landscape watering to certain hours, with exceptions for things like new landscaping for a limited period, hand watering, and food gardens. Drought responses add restrictions on top of that. The details are on EPD's page; read it before setting an irrigation timer.

What watering costs on a City account

Summer irrigation can push a household into the City's top tiers. Inside the city, water above 10,000 gallons a month is billed at the top water rate, and on a sewer account the same gallons are billed at the top sewer rate. The adopted tiers are below. That makes an efficient irrigation system, and a leak-free one, worth more in Dawsonville than in many places.

Sewer on outdoor water

Here are the matching sewer tiers. Ask the City whether a separate irrigation meter is available at your address; its utilities page lists an irrigation application. If outdoor water can be metered separately, ask how sewer is billed on it.

Irrigation systems and plumbing

Dawson County's building permits page names lawn sprinkler supply among the work needing a plumbing permit outside city limits. A new irrigation tap or supply line is plumbing, and it needs a backflow preventer to protect the drinking water supply; the City publishes a backflow device test form. Inside the city, ask Planning and Zoning about permits.

Water-saving fixes

Check irrigation zones for broken heads and leaks each spring. Use a rain sensor. Water early in the allowed hours to reduce evaporation. Group plants by water need. A drip line for beds uses far less than spray heads. These save water in a drought and money every summer.

What a drought response can mean

Georgia's drought management rules allow EPD to declare drought responses at increasing levels. Higher levels bring tighter limits on outdoor watering and other non-essential uses. A Level 1 response is the lowest step and is primarily about public outreach and awareness, but conditions can change over a dry summer. Because EPD sets the levels by region and updates them as conditions change, the most reliable source is EPD itself; the City's utilities page reflects the declaration as of the date it was posted.

Utilities can also impose their own measures. If you receive a notice from the City about water use, follow it, and ask the utilities office if anything is unclear.

Irrigation leaks are expensive here

A cracked lateral or a stuck valve in an irrigation system can waste thousands of gallons before anyone notices, and the City's tiered rates mean those gallons are billed at the highest rates. Walk each zone at the start of the season, look for geysers, puddles or dry spots, and watch the meter with the system off. The leak cost article shows how fast a leak adds up.

Smart controllers that adjust to weather, and rain sensors that skip watering after rain, both save water with little effort.

New lawns and landscaping

Establishing new grass or plants takes more water than maintaining them, and Georgia's schedule includes provisions for new landscaping for a limited time. Under a drought response, those provisions can change. Before installing sod or a large planting in summer, check EPD's current level and the rules that apply, and consider waiting for fall.

Indoor savings count too

Outdoor watering gets the attention in a drought, but indoor use is steady all year. Replacing an old toilet with a WaterSense model, fixing running toilets and dripping faucets, and using efficient showerheads reduce water and, on a sewer account, sewer charges. Because the City's sewer tiers rise with usage, indoor savings lower the bill on both lines. Running full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine helps too. These changes do not depend on the weather or on EPD's drought level, so they pay off every month.

Pools and hot tubs

Filling a pool or hot tub uses a large amount of water at once, and on a single City meter those gallons are also billed for sewer at the higher tiers. Ask the City before filling whether any drought restrictions apply and whether a temporary arrangement for filling is available. Keep a cover on the pool to cut evaporation, check for leaks if the level drops faster than usual, and fix leaks promptly. A pool leak can waste as much water as a broken irrigation line.

Watering checklist

Check EPD's current drought level. Set timers to the allowed hours. Fix leaks and broken heads. Ask the City about an irrigation meter. Permit any new irrigation supply. Test the backflow device as required.

Sources for this article: City of Dawsonville: Utilities; Georgia EPD: Non-Drought Outdoor Water Use Schedule; City of Dawsonville: Approved minutes, City Council meeting of June 15, 2026, with adopted Ordinance No. 02-2026 (Exhibit B) (PDF); Dawson County, GA: Building Permits. Checked 2026-10-29.