Pool filling restrictions in 2026: which water utilities ban filling pools during drought

Pool filling restrictions by utility and district, October 2026

PC&S opened the drought plans and current stage notices of 32 utilities, water management districts and state regulators in 12 states. 20 have a pool-specific rule on the books, 10 have one in force on October 8, 2026, and 4 are banning pool fills.

The atlas extends the city-by-city restriction check in our cost to fill a pool report with the trigger stage, the exact rule text and districts and state regulators. Pool and lawn water use comparisons are in our pool vs lawn water use report.

Where pool fill bans are in force in October 2026

2 utilities ban pool fills in October 2026: Charlotte Water in North Carolina and Aurora Water in Colorado. Together they serve 1,739,692 people, 6.6% of the population served by the reviewed utilities with EPA records.

Charlotte Water moved to Low Inflow Protocol Stage 2 with mandatory restrictions effective May 15, 2026. The rules say: no filling residential swimming pools, and pool top-offs only Thursdays and Sundays before 6 a.m. or after 6 p.m. (Charlotte Water). Charlotte Water serves 1,206,285 people (EPA SDWIS).

Aurora Water’s Stage 1 drought measures, approved by Aurora City Council on April 6, 2026, say private pools cannot be filled, while topping off pools that are already full is allowed and shared community pools stay open (Aurora Water, CBS Colorado). Aurora Water serves 533,407 people (EPA SDWIS). Aurora is the only reviewed utility that bans pool fills at its first drought stage.

4 more utilities have a pool rule in force that is not a fill ban. Fresno, in Stage 2 since June 10, 2022, allows top-offs only during permitted outdoor watering hours and gives newly built or renovated pools a short-term exemption to fill (City of Fresno). Southern Nevada caps new residential pools at 600 sq ft of surface, San Diego bans overfilling, and Albuquerque bars non-potable hydrant water from pools. The utilities with any pool rule in force serve 5,794,202 people in total (2,285,662 under drought-stage rules and 3,508,540 under permanent rules).

North Carolina pool filling restrictions follow the county drought map

North Carolina is the only state in the review with statewide pool rules tied to the drought map. On the September 29, 2026 Drought Monitor map, 34 of 100 counties met the D2 test that ends pool filling for NCUC-regulated systems, and 10 met the D3 test that also ends top-offs.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission sets restrictions for the water systems it regulates under orders of October 24, 2007 and May 23, 2008. Filling and topping off are allowed in normal, D0 and D1 conditions. In D2 Severe Drought the rule is: no filling of swimming pools, and topping off only 12 inches per week. In D3 and D4 there is no filling and no topping off. Each county takes the highest drought level covering at least 25% of its land (NCUC).

A second state rule, 15A NCAC 02E .0613, effective March 19, 2007 and readopted January 1, 2022, prohibits filling family, public and private pools, hot tubs and spas as a default measure. It binds water systems that have no written shortage plan during extreme drought designations (NC Administrative Code, NC DMAC).

Seven kinds of pool rule in drought plans, from fill bans to water-source limits

Fill bans are the most common pool rule, written into 15 of 32 reviewed jurisdictions. Top-off limits and maintenance duties appear in 6 each, covers in 4, and new-pool permit freezes or size caps in 4.

• Cover rules: Fort Worth requires every pool to be fully covered at Stage 3; Los Angeles mandates covers on residential pools when not in use at Phase IV; Cal Water requires covers at Stage 5 (Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Cal Water).
• New-pool limits: Austin stops single-family pool permits at Stage 4, Dallas and Fort Worth at Stage 3, and Southern Nevada caps new residential pools at 600 sq ft at all times (Austin Water, Dallas, SNWA).
• Approval to fill: Charlottesville requires written approval to fill a pool of more than 5 gallons in a drought warning; Fresno gives new or renovated pools a short-term exemption to fill outside watering hours (Charlottesville, Fresno).
• Maintenance duties: Florida district orders require pools to minimise make-up water; San Diego bans overfilling; Fresno bans draining more than once every three years (SWFWMD, San Diego, Fresno).

At which drought stage pool filling is banned

Pool fill bans are a late-stage measure. Across 10 staged plans with a verified ban and top stage, the median ban sits 0.92 of the way up the stage ladder, 5 put it in the top stage and 8 in the top two.

Two 2026 bans break the pattern. Aurora bans filling private pools at Stage 1 and Charlotte at Stage 2; their total stage counts were not verified, so they are left out of the depth measure. Denver Water’s plan bans single-family pool fills at Stage 2 of 3, and Stage 2 was last used in 2002 and 2003 (Denver Water).

Pool filling restrictions by state: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Florida and Colorado

California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Florida and Colorado handle pools differently. Aurora, Colorado has the only pool fill ban in force among the reviewed Western utilities, Nevada uses a permanent size cap, and Arizona publishes no pool limit at all.

• California: the 2015 statewide emergency regulation prohibited five outdoor uses and none concerned pools (State Water Board). Los Angeles is in Phase 2; San Diego has only permanent rules; Cal Water states there are no restrictions on filling pools; Riverside allows filling (LADWP, Cal Water, Riverside Public Utilities). EBMUD’s 2022 emergency rules only asked customers to cover pools (EBMUD).
• Arizona: Phoenix has been in a Stage 1 Water Alert since June 2022 and says severe restrictions may include child-safe pool covers, but none is codified; Tucson is in Tier 2 and Scottsdale in Stage One, with no pool measures (Phoenix, Tucson Water, Scottsdale).
• Nevada: Southern Nevada caps new residential pools at 600 sq ft (July 2022 resolution), the Las Vegas Valley Water District approves pool permits, and owners do not need to notify the district before refilling (SNWA, City of Las Vegas, LVVWD).
• Texas: Austin (Conservation Stage), Dallas and Fort Worth (no stage found) and Houston (no stage since May 29, 2024) all keep pool bans for deep stages. San Antonio is in Stage 3, but its published rules limit landscape watering only (Austin Water, Houston, SAWS).
• Florida: Southwest Florida’s Modified Phase III (April 3, 2026 to March 31, 2027) and the St. Johns River Phase III order require pools to minimise make-up water; South Florida’s Phase I to IV rules contain no pool measure (SWFWMD, SJRWMD, SFWMD).
• Colorado: Aurora bans private pool fills at Stage 1; Denver Water is in Stage 1 with no pool limit, and banned lawn watering from October 1, 2026 (Aurora Water, Denver Water).

Planning a new pool in a drought area also means checking whether permits can be frozen; see our guide to pool permits and the pool planning checklist.

Wells, hydrant water and water trucks under pool filling restrictions

Whether a ban reaches water from other sources depends on who issued it. Charlotte Water’s rule covers only utility water, while the Florida district orders cover every source.

Charlotte Water says residents can use well water without restriction, because its mandatory restrictions apply to municipal drinking water (Charlotte Water). The St. Johns River order declares the shortage for all sources of water, and the Southwest Florida order applies to residents on private wells (SJRWMD, SWFWMD). Los Angeles’ Phase V ban covers filling residential pools with potable water (City of Los Angeles).

No reviewed utility publishes a rule on pool fills by private water truck, so that question is Not verified. Albuquerque’s 2026 ordinance prohibits using non-potable fire-hydrant water for swimming pools (ABCWUA).

Timeline of pool fill bans and drought stages, 2002 to 2026

The opened records document 7 dated pool fill bans or ban rules from 2002 to 2026, from the 2002 Colorado drought to the 2026 bans in Charlotte and Aurora.

The state picture in numbers

1. PC&S reviewed 32 utilities, districts and state rules in 12 states in October 2026; 20 have at least one pool-specific drought or water rule on the books (Charlotte Water, Dallas Water Utilities).
2. By rule type, 15 of the 32 jurisdictions can ban filling or refilling, 6 limit top-offs, 6 impose maintenance duties, 4 require covers and 4 freeze new pool permits or cap pool size, as of October 2026 (Fort Worth).
3. On October 8, 2026, 10 of the 32 jurisdictions had a pool-specific rule in force, and 4 had a fill ban in force (Aurora Water).
4. Charlotte Water customers cut use 12.4% from baseline as of September 30, 2026 (Charlotte Water (City of Charlotte)).
5. Aurora Water’s reservoirs held 41% of active capacity on September 21, 2026 (Aurora Water (City of Aurora)).
6. 62 of 277 North Carolina public water systems on the state list reported mandatory restrictions in October 2026 (NC Division of Water Resources).
7. Denver Water declared Stage 1 from March 25, 2026 through April 30, 2027; its plan bans single-family pool fills only at Stage 2, a stage last used in 2002 and 2003 (Denver Water, Denver Water plan).
8. Austin Water has been in Conservation Stage since September 2, 2025; its 2024 plan stops new single-family pool permits at Stage 4 and bans adding water to pools at Emergency Stage 5 (Austin Water).
9. Dallas Water Utilities’ 2024 plan bans filling, draining and refilling existing pools and permits for new pools at Stage 3, its top stage; existing pools may replace evaporation losses (Dallas Water Utilities).
10. Fort Worth’s 2024 plan requires all pools to be fully covered and bans automatic fill valves at Stage 3 (Fort Worth).
11. Los Angeles was in Phase 2 in October 2026; Ordinance 184250 mandates pool covers at Phase IV and bans filling residential pools with potable water at Phase V (LADWP, City of Los Angeles).
12. San Diego’s shortage plan has six levels and stops pool filling at Level 5; the San Diego County Water Authority’s model ordinance stops it at Level 4 and found supplies sufficient through 2050 for the region’s 3.3 million residents in 2026 (City of San Diego, SDCWA).
13. San Antonio returned to Stage 3 on September 21, 2026, triggered when the Edwards Aquifer 10-day average falls below 640 feet; SAWS’s published stage rules contain no pool limit (SAWS).
14. The median fill ban sits at 0.92 of the way up its plan’s stage ladder across 10 staged plans, and 5 of 10 put it in the top stage, 2026 (Austin Water).
15. Houston’s 2024 plan lists pool filling as a non-essential use and caps single-family homes at 4,000 gallons a month at Stage IV; no stage has been in force since May 29, 2024 (Houston Public Works).

State rankings and comparisons we derived

Download the calculation sheet (CSV)

Questions searchers ask

Latest releases used

• 2026-10Denver Water banned lawn watering and all spray irrigation from October 1, 2026, while staying in Stage 1; pool filling is not restricted at Stage 1 (Denver Water).
• 2026-09San Antonio Water System customers returned to Stage 3 on September 21, 2026 (SAWS); Charlottesville, VA lifted its drought watch on September 30, 2026 (City of Charlottesville).
• 2026-09The Southwest Florida Water Management District extended Modified Phase III restrictions through March 31, 2027 (SWFWMD).
• 2026-08Raleigh, NC lifted Stage 1 restrictions on August 3, 2026 (City of Raleigh).
• 2026-07The San Diego County Water Authority adopted its 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan on July 1, 2026 (SDCWA).
• 2026-05Charlotte Water’s Stage 2 pool-fill ban took effect May 15, 2026 (Charlotte Water); the St. Johns River district issued Phase III Order 2026-017 in May 2026 (SJRWMD).
• 2026-04Aurora City Council approved Stage 1 drought measures, including a ban on filling private pools, on April 6, 2026 (CBS Colorado).

Frequently asked questions

Source weighting

Tier 1: primary and government sources (62)

• Charlotte Water (City of Charlotte): Drought Resources
• Aurora Water (City of Aurora): Drought
• North Carolina Utilities Commission: Non-Essential Water Usage Restrictions
• North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings: 15A NCAC 02E .0613 Water use reduction measures
• NC Drought Management Advisory Council: North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council home page
• NC Drought Management Advisory Council: North Carolina Drought Update, assessment period ending Sep. 29, 2026
• NC DEQ Division of Water Resources: Water System Conservation Status
• U.S. Drought Monitor (National Drought Mitigation Center): County drought severity statistics, North Carolina, map of 2026-09-29 (percent area, cumulative)
• City of Raleigh: Water Conservation Stages
• City of Raleigh: City of Raleigh Water Restrictions Lifted as of August 3
• City of Charlottesville Department of Utilities: Drought
• Western Virginia Water Authority: Emergency Restrictions Action Steps
• Georgia Secretary of State (Georgia EPD rules): Rules for Drought Management, Chapter 391-3-30
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division: Drought Management
• Southwest Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII): Rule 40D-21.631 Phase II: Severe Water Shortage
• Southwest Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII): Rule 40D-21.641 Phase III: Extreme Water Shortage
• Southwest Florida Water Management District: District Declares Modified Phase III Water Shortage
• Southwest Florida Water Management District: District Water Restrictions
• St. Johns River Water Management District: Water Shortage Order 2026-017 (Phase III)
• St. Johns River Water Management District: Watering restrictions
• South Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII): Rule 40E-21.541 Phase III Extreme Water Shortage
• South Florida Water Management District: Landscape Watering Restrictions
• Austin Water: Drought Contingency Plan 2024
• Austin Water (City of Austin): Austin Water drought response
• San Antonio Water System: Drought Restrictions & Watering Rules
• San Antonio Water System: SAWS customers return to Stage 3 watering rules
• Dallas Water Utilities: 2024 Drought Contingency Plan
• City of Fort Worth Water Department: 2024 Drought Contingency and Emergency Water Management Plan
• City of Fort Worth: Twice-a-Week SmartWatering
• Houston Public Works: 2024 Drought Contingency Plan
• Houston Public Works: Current Watering Restrictions
• City of Phoenix Water Services: Drought and Shortage Operations
• City of Phoenix Water Services: Drought Dashboard
• Tucson Water (City of Tucson): Drought Preparedness
• City of Scottsdale: Water Shortages and Preparedness
• City of Scottsdale: Drought Management Plan
• Southern Nevada Water Authority: Pools and spas
• City of Las Vegas Building and Safety: Swimming Pool Guideline
• Las Vegas Valley Water District: Pool and spa tips
• City of Los Angeles / LADWP: Ordinance No. 184250, Emergency Water Conservation Plan (LAMC Chapter XII, Article I)
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power: Water Conservation Ordinance
• City of San Diego Public Utilities: Water Use Restrictions
• City of San Diego: Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2020 (Appendix E)
• San Diego County Water Authority: Water Shortage Contingency Plan (adopted 2026)
• San Diego County Water Authority: 2025 Urban Water Management Plan & Water Shortage Contingency Plan Adopted by Board
• East Bay Municipal Utility District: Section 28: Water Use During Water Shortage Emergency Condition, and Resolution 35287-22
• East Bay Municipal Utility District: EBMUD Moves to Ease Drought Restrictions
• East Bay Municipal Utility District: Water Supply Update, Board of Directors, April 14, 2026
• City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities: Water Conservation Program
• Riverside Public Utilities: Drought Status
• California State Water Resources Control Board: 2015 Emergency Water Conservation Regulation: Frequently Asked Questions
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Emergency Drought Restrictions Go Into Effect For Six Million Southern Californians
• Denver Water: 2020 Water Shortage Response Implementation Plan
• Denver Water: Water Shortage
• Denver Water: Board Resolution (#002-2026) for Stage 1 Drought Declaration
• Denver Water: Rules for Outdoor Water Use
• Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities: Public Utilities home page (Water Shortage Advisory)
• City of Oklahoma City: Water Conservation Measures
• Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority: Ordinance O-26-1 (approved)
• Journal of the American Water Resources Association (Kenney, Klein and Clark): Evaluating the Use and Effectiveness of Municipal Water Restrictions During Drought in Colorado (JAWRA, 2004)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) WATER_SYSTEM table via Envirofacts
• Dallas Water Utilities (Save Dallas Water): Frequently Asked Questions

Tier 2: trade bodies, public companies, market research (2)

• California Water Service: What are the stages of drought?
• California Water Service: Are there any restrictions on filling pools?

Tier 3: journalism and expert commentary (3)

• CBS Colorado: Aurora City Council approves Stage 1 Drought water conservation measures
• ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC): Filling swimming pools banned in parts of Orange County
• WUNC News: N.C. drought update Oct. 1

Works cited

1. Charlotte Water (City of Charlotte). Drought Resources. Accessed 2026-10-08.
2. Aurora Water (City of Aurora). Drought. Accessed 2026-10-08.
3. CBS Colorado. Aurora City Council approves Stage 1 Drought water conservation measures. Accessed 2026-10-08.
4. North Carolina Utilities Commission. Non-Essential Water Usage Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
5. North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings. 15A NCAC 02E .0613 Water use reduction measures. Accessed 2026-10-08.
6. NC Drought Management Advisory Council. North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council home page. Accessed 2026-10-08.
7. NC Drought Management Advisory Council. North Carolina Drought Update, assessment period ending Sep. 29, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-08.
8. NC DEQ Division of Water Resources. Water System Conservation Status. Accessed 2026-10-08.
9. U.S. Drought Monitor (National Drought Mitigation Center). County drought severity statistics, North Carolina, map of 2026-09-29 (percent area, cumulative). Accessed 2026-10-08.
10. City of Raleigh. Water Conservation Stages. Accessed 2026-10-04.
11. City of Raleigh. City of Raleigh Water Restrictions Lifted as of August 3. Accessed 2026-10-04.
12. City of Charlottesville Department of Utilities. Drought. Accessed 2026-10-08.
13. Western Virginia Water Authority. Emergency Restrictions Action Steps. Accessed 2026-10-08.
14. Georgia Secretary of State (Georgia EPD rules). Rules for Drought Management, Chapter 391-3-30. Accessed 2026-10-08.
15. Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Drought Management. Accessed 2026-10-08.
16. Southwest Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII). Rule 40D-21.631 Phase II: Severe Water Shortage. Accessed 2026-10-08.
17. Southwest Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII). Rule 40D-21.641 Phase III: Extreme Water Shortage. Accessed 2026-10-08.
18. Southwest Florida Water Management District. District Declares Modified Phase III Water Shortage. Accessed 2026-10-08.
19. Southwest Florida Water Management District. District Water Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
20. St. Johns River Water Management District. Water Shortage Order 2026-017 (Phase III). Accessed 2026-10-08.
21. St. Johns River Water Management District. Watering restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
22. South Florida Water Management District (Florida Administrative Code, via Cornell LII). Rule 40E-21.541 Phase III Extreme Water Shortage. Accessed 2026-10-08.
23. South Florida Water Management District. Landscape Watering Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
24. Austin Water. Drought Contingency Plan 2024. Accessed 2026-10-04.
25. Austin Water (City of Austin). Austin Water drought response. Accessed 2026-10-08.
26. San Antonio Water System. Drought Restrictions & Watering Rules. Accessed 2026-10-08.
27. San Antonio Water System. SAWS customers return to Stage 3 watering rules. Accessed 2026-10-08.
28. Dallas Water Utilities. 2024 Drought Contingency Plan. Accessed 2026-10-04.
29. City of Fort Worth Water Department. 2024 Drought Contingency and Emergency Water Management Plan. Accessed 2026-10-04.
30. City of Fort Worth. Twice-a-Week SmartWatering. Accessed 2026-10-08.
31. Houston Public Works. 2024 Drought Contingency Plan. Accessed 2026-10-08.
32. Houston Public Works. Current Watering Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
33. City of Phoenix Water Services. Drought and Shortage Operations. Accessed 2026-10-08.
34. City of Phoenix Water Services. Drought Dashboard. Accessed 2026-10-08.
35. Tucson Water (City of Tucson). Drought Preparedness. Accessed 2026-10-08.
36. City of Scottsdale. Water Shortages and Preparedness. Accessed 2026-10-08.
37. City of Scottsdale. Drought Management Plan. Accessed 2026-10-08.
38. Southern Nevada Water Authority. Pools and spas. Accessed 2026-10-07.
39. City of Las Vegas Building and Safety. Swimming Pool Guideline. Accessed 2026-10-04.
40. Las Vegas Valley Water District. Pool and spa tips. Accessed 2026-10-04.
41. City of Los Angeles / LADWP. Ordinance No. 184250, Emergency Water Conservation Plan (LAMC Chapter XII, Article I). Accessed 2026-10-04.
42. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Water Conservation Ordinance. Accessed 2026-10-08.
43. City of San Diego Public Utilities. Water Use Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
44. City of San Diego. Water Shortage Contingency Plan 2020 (Appendix E). Accessed 2026-10-08.
45. San Diego County Water Authority. Water Shortage Contingency Plan (adopted 2026). Accessed 2026-10-08.
46. San Diego County Water Authority. 2025 Urban Water Management Plan & Water Shortage Contingency Plan Adopted by Board. Accessed 2026-10-08.
47. East Bay Municipal Utility District. Section 28: Water Use During Water Shortage Emergency Condition, and Resolution 35287-22. Accessed 2026-10-08.
48. East Bay Municipal Utility District. EBMUD Moves to Ease Drought Restrictions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
49. East Bay Municipal Utility District. Water Supply Update, Board of Directors, April 14, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-08.
50. California Water Service. What are the stages of drought?. Accessed 2026-10-08.
51. California Water Service. Are there any restrictions on filling pools?. Accessed 2026-10-08.
52. City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities. Water Conservation Program. Accessed 2026-10-04.
53. Riverside Public Utilities. Drought Status. Accessed 2026-10-04.
54. California State Water Resources Control Board. 2015 Emergency Water Conservation Regulation: Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed 2026-10-08.
55. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Emergency Drought Restrictions Go Into Effect For Six Million Southern Californians. Accessed 2026-10-08.
56. Denver Water. 2020 Water Shortage Response Implementation Plan. Accessed 2026-10-08.
57. Denver Water. Water Shortage. Accessed 2026-10-08.
58. Denver Water. Board Resolution (#002-2026) for Stage 1 Drought Declaration. Accessed 2026-10-08.
59. Denver Water. Rules for Outdoor Water Use. Accessed 2026-10-08.
60. Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities. Public Utilities home page (Water Shortage Advisory). Accessed 2026-10-04.
61. City of Oklahoma City. Water Conservation Measures. Accessed 2026-10-04.
62. Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. Ordinance O-26-1 (approved). Accessed 2026-10-04.
63. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (Kenney, Klein and Clark). Evaluating the Use and Effectiveness of Municipal Water Restrictions During Drought in Colorado (JAWRA, 2004). Accessed 2026-10-08.
64. ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC). Filling swimming pools banned in parts of Orange County. Accessed 2026-10-08.
65. WUNC News. N.C. drought update Oct. 1. Accessed 2026-10-08.
66. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) WATER_SYSTEM table via Envirofacts. Accessed 2026-10-08.
67. Dallas Water Utilities (Save Dallas Water). Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed 2026-10-08.