CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Don't let the little bit of rain fool you. Water restrictions are still in place in Mecklenburg and other counties in the region.

That probably won't stop some people from watering, however. Eyewitness News went through the records of Mecklenburg County’s biggest watering ban violators and found that the Stafford neighborhood off Rocky River Road racked up 10 violations in two months.

“It was a pattern of every few days there was a citation,” said Vic Simpson, spokesman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department

“And they just kept the water on?” asked Eyewitness News reporter Mark Becker.

“That's what it appears to be,” Simpson said.

He said the 10 violations easily make Stafford the biggest violator of the watering ban, but it was hardly the only offender in the area.

There have been more than 2,000 violators in Mecklenburg County and even more in neighboring Union County. Eyewitness News found more than 3,600.

“Water’s a precious commodity in Union County,” said Bret Vines, spokesman for Union County.

Vines said many of the worst violators of the watering ban have been homeowners associations and homebuilders in brand-new, high-dollar neighborhoods.

There are some big names on the list, including Brendan Haywood, a former Tar Heel basketball star now in the NBA, who racked up four violations at his home near Marvin. Eyewitness News was unable to reach him.

Eyewitness News did hear from Charlotte Bobcat Sean May, however, who also got four violations at his house in Weddington. He said he was on the road with the team and didn’t know about the water rules.

On May’s street, there were at least 15 addresses with at least two violations.

“We had several, and it was just unfortunate,” said Cheryl Brooker, a Union County resident who also had four violations.

Brooker said thunderstorms caused power outages that triggered her automatic sprinkler system.

Some on the list of violators admitted to breaking the rules deliberately. Two Union County schools kept the water on to save their brand new football fields.

“We did try to be responsible, to go to the county and explain what position we were in, but they were unable to do that,” said Luan Ingram, spokeswoman for Union County Schools.

Ingram said the school district decided that paying the fines would be cheaper than redoing those fields.

Stafford's homeowners association has paid its share of fines also. It is now on well water.

While most people are following the rules now, representatives for both counties said they're still writing tickets when they find people who aren't.

The fines for water violations are adding up in both Mecklenburg and Union counties. CMUD said it’s collected about $300,000 in penalties so far and Union County has collected more than $143,000.

DROUGHT: Get The Latest On Water Restrictions, Check Local Lake Levels And Monitor Conditions In Your Area