By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@thecitizennews.com

It didn't take long for state environmental officials to tighten outdoor watering restrictions on Fayette and 14 other metro Atlanta counties.

The state Environmental Protection Division (EPD) announced yesterday that those counties must abide by an odd-even watering system. That's on top of the 12-hour outdoor watering ban that was implemented last week by the EPD, effective 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Homes with addresses ending in odd numbers will be allowed to water on odd-numbered days of the month, while homes with addresses ending in even numbers will be allowed to water on even-numbered days of the month.

The Fayette County water system responded to the original EPD ban by lifting its odd-even water restrictions,

But the combination of those two actions took a toll on the local water system, which had to purchase an average of 1.2 million gallons daily from the city of Atlanta. The extra water was needed to meet the increased demand in a smaller window of time, said Russell Ray, the assistant director of the Fayette County Water System.

“That (1.2 million gallons) is a relatively small amount,” Ray said, adding that Lake Kedron is down an estimated two feet and Lake Horton is about one foot low.

He added that only one resident reported a drop in water pressure during the 12-hour ban, but that was an indication that the system was being strained.

“We never lost water,” Ray said. “We have been able to meet the demands.”

The 12-hour no-watering period may have helped some since the amount of water pumped on Saturday was approximately 3.2 gallons less than the previous Saturday when the county was only operating on the odd-even watering ban.

Ray said he hoped the new combination of the 12-hour ban and the odd-even restrictions will help reduce the demand for water somewhat.

But for local residents, the addition to the outdoor watering ban further shrinks the time they can water their yards and wash their cards the once every two days.

Local residents can take several steps at home to help reduce water consumption, according to these recommendations from the EPD:

” Find and repair leaks. Approximately 50 percent of households are estimated to have leaks of some type. A steady faucet drip wastes 20 to 30 gallons per day, while a leak as small as 1/16 of an inch can lose 100 gallons per day. Toilets can have small, invisible leaks that could waste as much as 200 gallons a day, which is enough to wash four loads of laundry. Some of those leaks can be easily repaired with a new plunger ball or flush valve (flapper).

” Reduce water pressure. High water pressure can contribute to leaks and equipment breakdowns. A reduction of 30 to 40 pounds per square inch of pressure in a typical residence could also yield a 3 to 6 percent savings in water use.

” Install ultra-low flow plumbing devices and fixtures, such as a toilet dam, shower head restrictor and faucet aerator. Those items, which can cut water use an average of 22 percent up to 50 percent with no lifestyle changes, can be purchased for approximately $25 per set. Ultra-low flow shower heads can cost up to $15, but they save as much as $150 per year on water and water-heating bills. Volume displacement devices such as a water-filled plastic bag or a plastic bottle weighted with stones can save up to a gallon per flush.

” Use water-efficient appliances. New water-conserving dishwashers use about 30 percent less water while water-efficient clothes washers can save 16 gallons per full load. It is also recommended to fully load the appliances or use water-level controls when washing smaller loads.

” Conserving energy can also help save water, since large amounts of water are needed to makes most forms of energy. The best way to use less hot water, therefore saving water in the long run, include taking shorter showers and repairing hot water leaks.

The EPD is also promoting a special landscape design process called Xeriscape, which calls for plants and trees to be grouped together according to how much water they need to survive. That allows for the homeowner to use smaller amounts of water for some areas of the lawn, which also conserves water in the long run.