If you're caught, you'll receive a Class C misdemeanor and a fine up to $500.

By car and on foot, the City of Austin is now actively on the lookout for those breaking the rules.

"It's the first day of Stage 2 water restrictions and we noticed your sprinklers," Austin Water Utility employee Peter Varga said to a downtown landscaper.

Stage 2 means if you're a home or a business owner, you can only water your yard once a week, and automatic sprinklers and car washes can operate only on designated days and times.

	Once-a-Week Watering
Outdoor watering schedule • Commercial, multifamily odd-numbered addresses: Tuesday • Commercial, multi-family even-numbered addresses: Friday • Residential odd-numbered addresses: Saturday • Residential even-numbered addresses: Sunday Times for outdoor watering • Automatic systems: Before 10 a.m. • Hose-end sprinklers and soaker hoses: Before 10 a.m., and/or after 7 p.m. • By hand: Any time on any day.

"Essentially, stepping up our water conservation efforts to step up our water supply," Jill Mayfield, with Austin Water Utility, said.

An exceptional drought has made that supply dry up, which is evident by a glance at most Austin lawns. Landscaper Tom Caperton was actually repairing a leak and though he was not in violation of the restrictions, he said sees his share of them on the job.

"People probably don't pay attention as much as they should, and they water, like, every day or three or four times a day," Caperton said.

Some Austinites, like Richard Bagdonas, are paying close attention and still managing to water the lawn. It may seem as though Bagdonas is breaking the rules, but he's actually rerouted water from his air conditioner into a bin.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Water Restrictions News 8's Catie Beck tells us why the city says warnings for violators will now be citations.

"I've had it hooked up since last Tuesday actually, and it's gathering quite a bit of water. It's non-potable water, but it's perfectly good for the garden," Bagdonas said.

Besides a green lawn, there's nothing else perfectly good about ignoring the restrictions. If you're caught, you could receive a Class C misdemeanor and a fine up to $500.

"Usually every 10th home or so, you wonder how they're getting their grass so green," Bagdonas said.

If they're getting it by watering down the city's advice, they'll likely be getting a citation shortly after.

	City of Austin
According to the Austin Water Utility's Web site, Stage 2 restrictions include the following: • Outdoor irrigation is prohibited, except on assigned days at designated times. • No charity car washes. • No automatic fill valves for pools or ponds. • No outdoor ornamental fountains, except as needed to provide aeration for aquatic life. • No filling, refilling or adding water to indoor fountains. • No washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas patios or other paved surfaces. • Restaurants may not serve water to customers unless it is requested by the customer. • Vehicle washing is limited to designated days and times, with a hand-held bucket or a positive shut-off nozzle on a hose.