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Forget watering on Fridays

Odd-even scheme changing also under new state regulations

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Thanks to new water restrictions taking affect Aug. 1, Fayetteville water customers won’t be able to wash their cars or water their lawns on Fridays.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is behind the outdoor watering restriction on all water utilities in Georgia. Persons with odd-numbered addresses can water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; those with even-numbered or unnumbered addresses can water Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

There will be no hourly limits on outdoor watering under the new restrictions, however.

Exemptions to the new statewide regulations taking affect August 1 include irrigation of personal food gardens, newly installed landscapes (for up to 30 days), use of reclaimed wastewater and irrigation of golf courses under certain standards.

The state also allows a number of commercial exemptions to the ban, including car washes, food and fiber producers, sod producers, fruit and vegetable growers, hydro-seeding, power washing, irrigation contractors (during installation and as needed for maintenance and adjustments), construction sites and professionally certified or licensed landscapers, golf course contractors and sports turf landscapers (during installation and 30 days following installation only).

To help make water use more effective, the DNR offers the following tips:

- Water early in the morning or late in the evening (before 8 a.m. or after 10 p.m. to reduce evaporation and discourage disease).

- Water deeply once or twice a week; Water should penetrate the soil 5-7 inches minimum.

- Don’t fertilize during drought conditions.

- Raise your mower blade.

- Mulch with pine straw, bark or compost 3-4 inches deep to conserve moisture. Avoid decorative rock — it will have the opposite effect.