Georgia Adopts Water Use Schedules

Due to new rules adopted by the state Board of Natural Resources, Georgia residents must follow outdoor water use schedules during drought and non-drought periods. ?EUR??,,????'??Population growth, combined with inevitable periods of drought, makes water conservation more important than ever," says Carol Couch, director of the Environmental Protection Division. Water providers began enforcing the new rules by Aug. 1. Some local governments will begin enforcement immediately, while others must adopt new ordinances to implement and enforce the rules. Local jurisdictions are free to adopt more stringent requirements. Under current conditions, the non-drought schedule for outdoor water use will be in effect statewide. Should conditions worsen, outdoor water restrictions would increase for each of four levels of declared drought. Restrictions range from daily timelimits to a total ban on outdoor water use.

Under the non-drought schedule, people with odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and those with even-numbered or unnumbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. There are no mandatory hourly limitations.

Source: The Irrigation Association.