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Frequently
Asked Questions Regarding
Water Restrictions
When using water outdoors, please consider if it is truly
necessary. Water, even when we aren't in drought, is a precious
commodity. Everyone needs to be mindful of its value and conserve
where they can.
Latest revision,
August 13, 2002
To whom do the restrictions apply?
The restrictions apply to everyone in the state, to one extent
or another. The current restrictions (verified August 14, 2002)
are:
- In the 15-County Metro Area: daily 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. total
ban on outdoor water use and odd-even use during other hours
is to curtail outdoor water use by residential water users.
Local water utilities may elect to expand the ban to other users.
- State-wide Water Ban: Odd-even use. Even addresses can use
water outdoors at any time on even-numbered days, odd addresses
on odd-numbered days. Local water utilities may elect to expand
the ban to other users.
- Some water authorities have put total outdoor
water use bans in place. Please contact your water
authority for the restrictions in place for your address.
Which counties are affected by the restrictions?
In the 15-County Metro Area: Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb,
Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett,
Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale.
The State-wide Water Ban: The state's remaining 144 counties
How will the Odd/Even restrictions work?
The water restrictions will work as follows:
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If your home or business has an even numbered street address,
you may water for outdoor purposes on even-numbered calendar
days except during the hours of the water restrictions.
Water restriction times may vary from county to county.
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If your home or business has an odd numbered street address,
you may water for outdoor purposes on odd numbered calendar
days except during the hours of the water restrictions.
Water restriction times may vary from county to county.
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An even-numbered street address may not use water for any
outdoor watering on an odd numbered calendar day. Likewise,
an odd-numbered street address may not use water for any
outdoor watering on an even-numbered calendar day.
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Each day begins and ends at midnight.
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Please contact your local water authority for information
specific to your home/business.
How
did the EPD decide to put the water-use restrictions in place?
Officials at EPD look at many indicators of moisture in the
state, including groundwater levels, streamflows, reservoir
levels, rainfall in the last 90 days, expected precipitation
in the next 90 days and water use patterns across the state,
(all that comes from the state climatologist, United States
Geological Survey, National Weather Service, EPD staff, water
utilities managers, etc) to make that decision. There's no formula
and there's no specifically defined scoring sheet. Instead,
after collecting the sort of information described above, EPD
makes a decision to (or not to) put water-use restrictions in
place. It's not done lightly – there's a lot of scientific
data that goes into the decision and they realize the effect
it has on day-to-day life for the people of Georgia. However,
they do have your best interests in mind and are working to
ensure a continued supply of drinking water.
How
did EPD decide on the times for the outdoor water-use restrictions?
They set the times for the restrictions based on local water-use
patterns. The times set are based on when the most water is
used: businesses use the most during the day to water their
landscaping and homeowners use the most water outdoors (for
washing cars and watering lawns and gardens, for example) when
they get home from work. By restricting water use during these
times, EPD could quickly affect the amount of water being drawn
from the resources available.
When
will the outdoor water-use restrictions be lifted?
That's the million-dollar question these days.It's probably
going to be a while before they're totally removed. We've been
in a drought for about four years now, so groundwater and surfacewater
resources are severely depleted. It's going to take almost as
many years to get out of this level of drought as it's taken
to get into it, says David Stooksbury, the state climatologist.
Even when it seems it's been raining every day or when we're
not far off our "normal" rainfall patterns for a month
or so, our water resources haven't yet recharged. And so there
is still (and is always) a need to conserve our water resources.
What if we do get the "precipitation needed
to end the drought?" Will that really end the drought?
According to David Stooksbury, state climatologist,
that number is an assumption that all of that would come in
one week and that yes, that would break the meteorological
drought. But another could start the next week.
There are several stages of drought, though
and an area can be in different severities of different stages
of drought.
Go
to the full answer.
I'm planning to put in some new sod. Can I get an exemption
from the restrictions?
No, EPD doesn't currently allow any exemptions to the water-use
restrictions for new sod installations. If you do choose to
have new sod professionally installed, the installers can water
during the installation, but when they leave the property, you,
as the property owner, must then abide by the water-use restrictions
in place for your address. If you install the sod yourself,
you must abide by the restrictions in place for your address
during the installation and subsequently.
I have a private well. Do the restrictions apply to me?
The EPD cannot and does not regulate water use from a private
well or other privately owned sources. However, because we are
in our fourth consecutive year of drought, EPD officials are
asking that those who rely on a private well as their water
source abide by the restrictions to conserve water.
Can I wash my car? How about pressure-washing the house or
driveway?
The water-use restrictions apply to ALL outdoor water use,
not just lawn watering. You can use water outdoors for any purpose
according to the restrictions in place by EPD or your local
water authority, whichever is stricter. Again, please consider
if that use is really necessary.
Does the ban announced by EPD apply to entities using water
in commercial enterprises?
At the current time the ban announced by EPD does not apply
to commercial enterprises using water outdoors for business
purposes. Such entities include commercial car washes, commercial
pressure washing of homes and other structures, etc. Local water
utilities may elect to expand the ban to include such uses.
Does the ban announced by EPD apply to outdoor water use for
fundraisers (e.g., school/church car washes)?
At the current time the ban announced by EPD does not apply
to outdoor water use activities for fundraisers. Local water
utilities may elect to expand the ban to include such uses.
Does the ban announced by EPD apply to the filling of private
swimming pools or other water toys (sliding mats, sprinklers,
etc.)?
The ban does apply to the filling of private swimming pools
and other home recreational uses. Like any other outdoor water
uses, you can use water outdoors recreationally outside the
hours of the bans and according to the restrictions in place
for your address.
Does the ban announced by EPD apply to golf courses?
Golf courses in the 15-county area of metro Atlanta under 10
a.m. to 10 p.m., odd/even water use restrictions should abide
by the restrictions for their fairways. Greens may be misted
several times during the course of the day.
Golf courses in the 144 counties outside of the 15-county area
of metro Atlanta are asked to abide by the 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
odd/even water use restrictions for fairways. Greens may be
misted during the course of the day.
Who will enforce the restrictions?
The restrictions will be enforced by the local water utilities.
Each water utility will define its own enforcement guidelines,
and such guidelines do not require EPD's input or approval.
Where can citizens get tips and ideas on ways to conserve
water?
The best place for that type of information is at the local
cooperative extension service office, however, you can find
information to conserve water on the main page of this site.
Look on the right and you'll find a water-use tip of the day
and a link to all of our conservation tips.
Still
need an answer?
Send
us your question here.
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Latest revision, August 13, 2002
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