The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management reminds businesses and residents that the county is still under a Level 2 drought response. DeKalb County and eight other metro Atlanta counties rely on Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River as their primary water sources and all remain in a Level 2 drought.

Outdoor watering is restricted to twice a week. Even-numbered addresses and sites with no numbered address may water Wednesdays and Saturdays, while those with odd-numbered addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays. Watering is only permitted before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

The following practices are not subject to the 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. or twice-a-week restrictions:

  • Irrigation of personal food gardens.
  • Irrigation of new and replanted seed, turf or plants for a period of 30 days following installation.
  • Watering with drip irrigation or soaker hose.
  • Hand watering, including hoses with shut-off nozzles.
  • Water from private wells and bodies of water on property.
  • Hydroseeding.
  • Irrigation of sports fields, golf courses and public recreational turf areas.
  • Irrigation of plants for sale.

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Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.  Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)