Most quietly paid a $100 fine, plus $35 in court fees. But some said the county was being too heavy-handed in its enforcement efforts.

Shawn King, owner of the new Goddard School in Cumming, was shocked to get a warning to appear in court or face the prospect of a night in jail over what turned out to be a misunderstanding. County prosecutors and the judge agreed to drop the case against him after learning the warning and citations were issued while the school was testing its irrigation system and watering newly laid sod.

“I was really surprised that the whole warning thing was so stringent,” King said.

Get used to it, said Commission Chairman Charles Laughinghouse. “Why have an ordinance and regulations in place if you’re not going to enforce them?” he asked.

Forsyth County is one of the state’s biggest consumers of water for residential use, and county officials have said residents need to get the point that conservation is important.

But Forsyth isn’t alone in taking a tough line on water violations.

Since April 18, when more restrictive regulations went into effect, Cobb County has warned 768 residents for using water when it wasn’t allowed and has collected more than $8,000 in fines, according to county officials.

FORSYTH COUNTY VIOLATORS

• 125 citations have been served or are pending
• 16 people appeared in court Wednesday
• 1 person asked for a continuance
• 1 case was dropped
• 14 people paid $100 fine and $35 court fee
• 1,400 more have been given first warnings since April