New Outdoor Watering Rule
Governor Perdue recently signed into law a bill changing outdoor watering restrictions.
Under the new law, Georgians may:
• Water between the hours of 4 pm – 10 am seven days a week.
• Water newly installed landscaping any time of day, seven days a week for the first 30 days following installation.
• Hand-water (using a hose with a shut-off nozzle) any time of day seven days a week.
The old odd/even schedule (odd-numbered addresses water Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday; even-numbered and non-numbered addresses water Monday, Wednesday, Saturday; no watering on Friday) still applies to the following:
• Pressure-washing houses
• Washing cars (except at a commercial carwash)
• Charity car washes (except when partnering with a commercial carwash facility)
What are the exemptions to the new hourly watering regulations?
• Commercial agriculture
• Alternative sources of water (graywater, rainwater, condensate, etc.)
• Watering food gardens
• Watering newly installed or reseeded turf for the first 30 days after installation
• Drip irrigation or soaker hoses
• Hand-watering using a hose with a shut-off nozzle
• Water from a private well
• Watering plants for sale
• Watering athletic fields, golf courses or public recreational turf
• Installation and maintenance of irrigation systems
• Hydroseeding
The City also reminds customers that droughts are cyclical, and Georgians can expect another one at some point in the future. Customers are urged to continue the conservation efforts that allowed the City to cut its water use by 10 percent over the last year.
Under a 2009 declaration, the City has resumed sale of irrigation meters, which bill only water, and not sewer, charges. For more information, contact Joe Murray at 404-330-6091.
Remember: Conservation should not be a reaction to circumstances; it should be a way of life. Clean water is a very precious resource, and it should be treated that way.
Helpful Links
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
Clean Water Campaign
Water Use It Wisely
