AUBURN, Ala. — The Water Works Board of the City of Auburn is enacting a Phase II Drought Warning effective May 1, 2026, in accordance with the City of Auburn Drought Management Plan.
The Phase II Drought Warning includes mandatory water restrictions and surcharge fees for excess water usage. Phase II is being implemented after recurring monthly rainfall deficits and significant rises in demand from irrigation and outdoor water usage. The Auburn area has experienced rainfall deficits since late summer/early fall of 2025, and deficits have continued after a Phase I Drought Watch was declared on February 9, 2026.
“Our goal is to reduce demand by 20% so we can conserve our water sources during this extended dry period,” said Eric Carson, City of Auburn Water Resource Management director. “While we are expected to experience some rainfall in the coming week, it will take a significant amount to bring us back to a comfortable level. We thank Auburn residents for being mindful of how much water they are using and helping us protect this extremely valuable resource.”
Mandatory Water Restrictions
- Odd-numbered addresses may irrigate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Even-numbered addresses may irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
- No irrigation allowed on Sundays.
- All irrigation limited to 8:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.
- Washing of houses or paved surfaces is prohibited unless for public health or safety reasons.
- No wasting irrigation water — do not allow it to run into streets and storm drains.
- Identify and repair water leaks in a timely manner.
- No residential car washing allowed.
- The City will reduce water use for street cleaning, main flushing and landscaping.
- All commercial car washes should evaluate equipment to recycle and conserve water.
Drought Surcharges for Excess Usage
A drought surcharge for excess water usage will be applied to all irrigation meters and single-family residential meters, including multi-family meters served by individual ¾-inch meters:
- A 25% surcharge will be applied to the current established rate for all usage above 3,000 gallons for irrigation meters per cycle.
- A 25% surcharge will also be applied for all usage above 12,000 gallons for ¾-inch residential meters per cycle.
- For example, the current residential rate of $4.17/1,000 gallons would increase to $5.21/1,000 gallons for usage above those thresholds.
Auburn Water Resources Management will continue to monitor lake levels, water demand and weather conditions and make recommendations as appropriate per the Drought Management Plan.
Source: WRBL News 3 / City of Auburn
