Start with the conservation requirements you must follow in our Current Stage of Water Restrictions. 

In addition to the mandatory restrictions in effect, here are easy ways to include water conservation into your daily routine throughout the year: 

• Fix leaks fast: Repair dripping faucets, running toilets, and hidden plumbing leaks as soon as you notice them—small drips can waste gallons over time.
• Upgrade fixtures: Install low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and water-efficient toilets to cut indoor use without changing daily routines.
• Run full loads only: Only operate dishwashers and washing machines when you have full loads to maximize water efficiency.
• Shorten showers: Cutting just 2–3 minutes from your shower can save gallons every day.
• Turn off the tap: Don’t let water run while brushing teeth, shaving, or scrubbing dishes.
• Check every fixture (inside & out): Look for leaks in sinks, toilets, hose bibs, and outdoor spigots—especially in areas you don’t use often.
• Irrigate responsibly: Make sure water lands on your lawn or plants - not sidewalks, driveways, or streets - and fix sprinkler leaks quickly. Regularly inspect irrigation systems for broken heads, leaks, or misalignment. For related advice, view our Guide to Irrigation Systems.
• Use mulch in landscaping: Add mulch around trees and plants to retain soil moisture and reduce how often you need to water.
• Choose drought-tolerant plants: Native and low-water landscaping options can dramatically reduce outdoor water needs.
• Collect rainwater: Use rain barrels to capture runoff for watering plants and gardens.

Yes! Many homes are wasting water and our customers don't know about it until it shows up on their monthly bills. Watch the video for tips on how to check all of your plumbing fixtures - especially those in places out of sight, like a guest bathroom or outdoor faucets - to ensure that you do not have a leak or a running toilet that is costing you money every month.

If you repair a leak - either on your own or by hiring a licensed plumber - you may be eligible for a credit on your next bill! Learn how you can Request a Water Loss Adjustment. 

Water conservation plays a vital role in protecting one of our most important natural resources. Every community depends on a reliable water supply for drinking, public safety, agriculture, business and daily life, yet occasional droughts and seasonal demand can strain those resources.

Using water wisely helps maintain dependable service, reduces stress on treatment and distribution systems, lowers energy use and utility costs, and helps ensure clean, safe water remains available for current and future generations.

Here are some key reasons why conservation is so important: 

• Lower Usage, Lower Costs: Using less water has its rewards, including a lower monthly water bill. Visit our Customer Portal to review your historical monthly usage and use the portal's tools for monitoring your household's water use.   

• Efficient Public Services: Reducing water usage results in greater efficiency for our public water system. As a public utility, our cost savings are passed on to all customers in the form of lower rates.

Union County has made significant investments in our long-term water supply, and we are well prepared to serve our customers, even in times of drought. 

Just like any other water utility, our water supply is weather-dependent. This is why our staff monitors water conditions and plans for times of drought along with our regional partners, including the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Group. 

To learn more about where our water comes from and our water supply, visit our Water Operations page.

Customers can see a significant cost savings by reducing their water use and finding and repairing leaks in their home. The amount of savings will depend on how much water you typically use. 

Review your previous billing statements or access your account in our Portal to get an idea of your typical water usage. Then, use our Water Use Calculators to determine what your bill would be with lower usage. 

First, check the Current Stage of Water Restrictions page.   

Stage 0-1: No restrictions on fountains, ponds, pools, & hot tubs. Please check these water features often for leaks and make repairs quickly. Note that filling these water features or connecting them to your water service can increase your water bill significantly. Use our Water Use Calculators to help predict your next water bill based on usage.  

Stage 2: filling new swimming pools or fountains is not allowed except for supporting aquatic life and essential water use.  

Stages 3 and 4:  filling swimming pools, hot tubs, fountains, and decorative ponds (other than to support aquatic life and for essential water use) is prohibited.

First, check the Current Stage of Water Restrictions page.  

Stages 0, 1, 2, & 3: No restrictions on pressure washing. However, our conservation rates go into effect starting with Stage 2, so significant water usage will cost much more.  

Stage 4: All non-essential water use - such as pressure washing - is prohibited during an exceptional water shortage.

NOTE: Pressure washing is prohibited for public buildings, sidewalks, and streets in Phases 2, 3, and 4. 

Special Considerations: 

As with any significant water use from your home, pressure washing will have a sizable impact on your monthly water bill. Use our Water Use Calculators to predict what you can expect, using your typical usage and adding an estimated 250-500 gallons just for pressure washing, noting that this number can vary greatly depending on various factors.

First, check the Current Stage of Water Restrictions page.   

Stage 0, 1 & 2: Yes. However, as restaurants are large water users, we encourage all restaurants in our service area to incorporate voluntary conservation strategies into their routine operations. Only run dishwashers when they are completely full, and consider only serving water when customers request it as their beverage choice. 

Stages 3 & 4: During extreme and exceptional water shortages, water should not be automatically served in restaurants. To reduce waste, water should only be served when a customer requests water as their beverage choice. 

First, check the Current Stage of Water Restrictions page.  

While spray irrigation is regulated in every stage, there are no restrictions on other watering methods - such as watering cans, drip irrigation, or other watering methods - until our strictest water use restrictions are in effect in Stage 4. 

Stage 0-1: Customers may use their spray irrigation systems three days per week following the schedule on this page. 

Stage 2: Customers may use their spray irrigation systems two days per week, before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m., following the schedule on this page. 

Stage 3: Customers may use their spray irrigation systems one day per week, before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m., following the schedule on this page. 

Stage 4: All residential irrigation is prohibited. All irrigation of commercial stock is prohibited.  

Stages 0-3: Commercial nurseries, garden centers, and plant dealers are generally allowed to continue watering plants held for sale because those plants are commercial inventory. However, this does not extend to purely decorative landscaping. 

Stage 4: All irrigation of commercial stock is prohibited.  

Union County Water requires customers to limit irrigation use year-round. In times of severe drought, these rules become stricter to correspond with the severity of the drought. Visit the Current Stage of Water Restrictions to learn more.

Right-sizing your irrigation schedule is one of the easiest ways to conserve water. Always avoid watering your lawn during the day, when the warm weather causes water to evaporate before it can seep into your ground.  Many residents over-water their lawn and landscape, but more water is not always better. Learn more on our Guide to Irrigation Systems page.

Exceptions are granted for legitimate purposes only. Customers can apply for an Irrigation Variance in Stages 0-2, but not in Stages 3-4.

Learn more here.

Union County water restrictions apply only to customers served by Union County Water. Some residents receive water from private wells or municipal systems and should consult their provider for applicable restrictions. County conservation restrictions do not apply to private well water. 

If you need County assistance with your well, please visit our Wells and Water Testing page.

The County's water conservation rules apply to Union County Water customers only. To determine any restrictions on your water use, check with the service provider that bills you for your water service each month. 

Other water service providers in Union County include the municipalities of Marshville, Monroe or Wingate, 

If you witness a potential violation of our water use restrictions, then we would welcome your help in ensuring that the customer is fully aware and compliant with our policies.  

First, encourage others to visit this webpage (UnionConserves.com) for guidance and helpful information about how Union County requires conservation year-round, and particularly in times of declared water shortage.

Because the days for irrigation usage vary by address - not by neighborhood or by town - your neighbor may follow a different irrigation schedule than you. Read more about irrigation schedules on this page.

To report a possible violation of the County's water use restrictions, please use this form. 

No. The drought is a weather event that is impacting rural, suburban, and urban communities - both here in the Carolinas and throughout the southeastern United States - regardless of whether the community is experiencing population growth or decline.

If population growth were the reason for the tighter water use restrictions, the restrictions would not vary based on a weather event. 

The Current Stage of Water Restrictions are in place due to the ongoing drought that is affecting the Carolinas and the southeastern United States. The restrictions will remain in place until drought conditions improve.

Union County Water will communicate any changes in status to customers directly. If you need to confirm that your contact information is current on your account, please contact Customer Care. 

Water conservation stages are driven by three different factors: water reservoir storage, six-month average stream flow, and three-month average of the US Drought Monitor for the river basin.

Even though we may get rain events locally, until all three of these basin-wide factors improve, the current drought status is not likely to change. It can take weeks or months of consistent precipitation across the entire river basin to impact these factors and the stage of water conservation. The Catawba-Wateree basin extends from upstream of Lake James in North Carolina all the way down to Lake Wateree in South Carolina. The Yadkin-Pee Dee basin extends from upstream of W. Kerr Scott Reservoir to Blewett Fall Reservoir.