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Friday watering out in Fayette? Officials request voluntary ban; will be enforced next year By JOHN MUNFORD
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is asking the Fayette County Water System to adopt a new odd-even day outdoor watering schedule that would ban all outdoor watering on Fridays. In a letter to Fayette County water officials, DNR indicated the new water restrictions will be enforcednext year, but for now the Friday-less watering schedule would be voluntary in nature only. That's so the public can get used to the system, according to DNR officials. Some members of the county's Water Committee were concerned about the affect the new schedule might have on customers, particularly those who don't do much yard work on Sundays. "I understand they want a day to replenish and everything but we're not having a problem filling the tanks," said chairman Chuck Watkins. Under the proposed DNR system, odd numbered addresses would water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays while even-numbered addresses would water on Mondays Wednesdays and Saturdays. There would be no watering allowed on Fridays. The new restrictions would not include an hourly ban on how much watering can take place, according to the DNR. The committee took no action on the request after discussing the matter at its regular meeting Wednesday morning. Water System Director Tony Parrott said he would rather wait until he gets the signed letter from the DNR. Local water customers have been excellent in complying with the county's current odd-even watering restrictions, Parrott said. The new restrictions would not apply to newly installed landscapes for 30 days, and for other commercial uses such as pressure washing, car washes and garden centers. Golf courses can also be exempt from the watering restrictions if they use small capacity wells that don't require permits from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division or the course uses recycled specially-treated wastewater with EPD's blessing. The irrigation of tee boxes and greens will be exempt from the new watering restrictions also.
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