Hillsborough water customers, did you know the town has rules for irrigating with town water even under normal conditions?

Hillsborough is not under water restrictions now, despite the extreme drought in the region. The town enacts voluntary water restrictions when available water capacity drops below 180 days. Hillsborough has more than 260 days of water available thanks to the West Fork Eno Reservoir expansion that was completed in 2021. The reservoir expansion doubled the town’s water storage. See the reservoir’s history on the About Water page.

North Carolina has drought conditions across the state. See the National Weather Service Raleigh Office's drought information statement for details.

Irrigation Rules

Hillsborough customers are reminded of these rules:

• All hoses must have shut-off nozzles for hand watering.
• No more than 1 inch of water may be applied to lawns or plantings in any given week. This equates to two-thirds of a gallon per square foot.

For customers with spray irrigation systems:

• Spray irrigation is limited to three applications per week, which must occur between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Even-numbered properties may use spray systems on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Odd-numbered properties may use spray systems on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Irrigation systems must have moisture sensors.

See irrigation system requirements, Section 14-19, in the Hillsborough Code of Ordinances.

Water Conservation

Everyone is encouraged to conserve water, especially as drought conditions worsen.

Hillsborough’s Water Conservation page provides many tips for conserving water in your home and also provides a summary of the town’s drought policy and stages of water restrictions.