EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - On March 28, the Evanston City Council approved an ordinance updating the City’s limits on lawn irrigation to ensure compliance with the new requirements of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Under the ordinance, from May 15 through September 15, lawn irrigation with water supplied from the City’s waterworks system is only permitted for odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered dates and for even-numbered addresses on even-numbered dates. During this time period, no lawn irrigation is permitted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on any day of the week at any address.

The new ordinance applies only to lawn irrigation; garden watering is exempt from the limits. In addition, an exception to the limits applies for lawns 90 days after new sod is laid or new lawn seed is sown. Lawn irrigation from September 16 through May 14 is not subject to the limits.

To assist with lawn irrigation, residents are encouraged to participate in the City’s free Residential Rain Barrel Program, in partnership with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD). Single-family homeowners and property owners and administrators of multi-family residential properties are eligible to receive up to four free, 55-gallon rain barrels through the program. To learn more and to place an order, visit cityofevanston.org/rainbarrel.

For more information about the City’s lawn irrigation limits, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.