Mandatory Conservation Rules

The grass is brown in front of the Crestview, Fla. Post Office due to the area's drought conditions. Watering restrictions limit businesses and residents to morning and evening hours every other day.

Crestview, Fla. has joined the Auburn Water System in issuing water conservation measures in the face of a continuing drought that has gripped the area. Both utilities ask customers to water lawns and plants on alternate days, depending on whether their address ends in an odd or even number.

''If your house number ends on an even number, water on even-numbered calendar days. If your house number ends in an odd number, water on odd-numbered days,'' Crestview Public Services Director Wayne Steele said in public service announcement issued Wednesday morning.

''Watering is only allowed before 11 a.m. or after 5 p.m. each day,'' Steele's announcement continued. ''Watering during the heat of the day wastes water.''

While the Auburn plan requests voluntary cooperation from its customers, the Crestview plan is mandatory and is enforced by city ordinances that can result in fines as great as $500 for repeated violations, Steele said.

Under the ordinance, customers will receive a verbal warning upon the first violation and a written warning and $50 charge on their water bill for the second offense. The surcharge will increase by $50 for subsequent violations, up to $500.

Exceptions to the ordinance are allowed for watering animals and livestock and ''limited hand-watering of plants using a hose for gardens and house plants'' and ''watering of new landscaping, sod, or seed within 15 days of installation.''