Hickory keeps Stage 2 water limits, simplifies irrigation rules

Hickory water customers remain under mandatory Stage 2 Low Inflow Protocol restrictions, and the city has simplified its irrigation rules after recent rain failed to move the area out of drought-related limits.

The City of Hickory said in a June 11 update that customers served by its water system may irrigate no more than two days per week. Irrigation is prohibited on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The city says exceptions remain for newly planted grass, sod, and turfgrass, so residents with new landscaping should check the city’s detailed rules before watering.

The practical effect is simple for households, property managers, landscapers, and businesses: check the day before turning on sprinklers or topping off pools. Stage 2 is not voluntary, and violations can show up as surcharges on utility bills.

Who is covered by the restrictions

The rules apply to all customers served by the City of Hickory water system, not only people living inside Hickory city limits.

The city lists covered customers as City of Hickory customers, the cities of Conover and Claremont, the towns of Brookford, Catawba, Long View, and Maiden, portions of Alexander and Catawba counties, and Icard Township Water Corporation. Customers who are not served by the City of Hickory water system should check with their own water provider.

What Stage 2 bars

In addition to the irrigation limits, the city lists several nonessential water uses that are not allowed during Stage 2. Those include residential vehicle washing, operating ornamental fountains or water features that do not support animal life, filling residential swimming pools, and topping off pools on prohibited irrigation days.

The city also tells customers to reduce overall water use and schedule discretionary uses during early morning or late evening when possible. Hand watering, soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and other specific exceptions may differ from sprinkler-system use, so residents should use the city’s current drought page for the fine print.

Penalties can escalate

Hickory’s enforcement schedule varies by meter size and violation count. The city lists a first violation surcharge of $100 for meters of 1.5 inches or smaller and $200 for meters of 2 inches or larger. A second violation is listed at $200 or $400, and a third violation at $300 or $600, depending on meter size.

Customers with more than five violations may lose irrigation water service, according to the city. That makes the rule change important for homeowners associations, apartment complexes, commercial sites, and any customer with automatic irrigation timers that may still be set for an older schedule.

Why restrictions remain after rain

The June 11 update followed a June 5 city notice that said recent rainfall had helped but was not enough to end Stage 2. Hickory said drought stage is tied to reservoir levels, inflow into reservoirs, and U.S. Drought Monitor conditions. The city said all three triggers must be in Stage 1 before the region can officially move back down to Stage 1 and lift restrictions.

Stage 2 in Hickory is part of a broader Catawba-Wateree River Basin response. The Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group says the basin entered Stage 2 on May 1, with public water suppliers implementing mandatory water-use restrictions while Stage 2 conditions continue.

For residents, the next thing to watch is not a single rainstorm but official city updates on the Low Inflow Protocol stage. Until Hickory announces a change, the Stage 2 limits remain in place.

Sources

• City of Hickory June 11 Stage 2 irrigation update
• Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group drought resources