New Watering Restrictions

New Watering Restrictions in Georgia.

• Hand watering will be allowed for 25 minutes per day on an odd-even schedule between midnight and 10 a.m. Odd numbered addresses can water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Even numbered addresses can water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Hand watering is defined as one person with one garden hose with a spray nozzle that shuts off when it is released.
• New professionally installed landscape can be watered up to three days a week from midnight to 10 a.m. for a period of 10 weeks based on the odd/even schedule. The new schedule will help ensure the survival of new landscape without requiring more water than what is being used under the current 30-day exemption.
• Anyone wishing to water new professionally installed landscape must register with the Outdoor Water Use Registration Program. The program will be hosted on the Urban Agricultural Council web site at Urban Ag Council beginning April 1, when the outdoor watering exemptions take effect. Georgians may also contact their county extension agents for assistance in getting registered.

There is no watering whatsoever in the City of Atlanta.

The following activities are exempted from the City of Atlanta’s new watering restrictions:

1. Personal food gardens
2. New landscaping installed by a certified or licensed landscaper. These newly installed landscapes may be watered any day of the week between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 10 a.m. for a period of 30 days following installation. You have one exemption per year / per property. There is no longer a 30-day exemption for lawn areation & overseeding, or for planting sod in existing/established landscapes. A 30-day watering exemption for sod pertains only to new construction.
3. Swimming pools may be filled through an irrigation meter, domestic meter, well water or other alternate source. The City does not be provide pool filling services during the drought. Pool filling is subject to change due to drought conditions.

The following commercial outdoor water uses are exempt from watering restrictions:

1. Professionally certified or licensed landscapers, golf course contractors, and sports turf landscapers: during installation and 30 days following installation only. Professional landscapers must be certified or licensed for commercial exemptions to apply.
   
   

   All landscape professionals and all customers seeking a 30-day watering exemption for newly installed landscape must register with the Outdoor Water Use Registration Program at http://www.urbanagcouncil.com/ per February 11, 2008 Order of Ga. Environmental Protection Division Director Carol A. Couch.

   
   
2. Irrigation contractors: during installation and as needed for proper maintenance and adjustments of irrigation systems and equipment only.
3. Sod producers.
4. Ornamental growers.
5. Fruit and vegetable growers.
6. Retail garden centers.
7. Hydro-seeding.
8. Power-washing.
9. Construction sites.
10. Producers of food and fiber.
11. Car washes.
12. Other activities essential to daily business.
13. Watering-in of pesticides and herbicides on turf.

All other uses fall under the new service-area-wide restrictions which state:

City of Atlanta customers may not water outdoors. No outdoor watering is allowed until further notice. This service area includes the City of Atlanta, Sandy Springs and unincorporated South Fulton County.

For more information about water schedules in your area, contact your local water provider. For more information on water conservation and outdoor water use, please go to http://www.conservewatergeorgia.net