The Fayette County Commission wants you to be able to turn your lawn sprinkler systems on again.

The commission agreed May 22 to file an application with Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to request that current Level 4 drought restrictions be downgraded to Level 2 status. Level 2 allows for outside water use three days per week.

The move was triggered after Water System Director Tony Parrott told commissioners the county’s water supply is in “good shape.” Supplies are at full pool, with the exception of Lake Horton, which is down by approximately one foot, Parrott said.

The current Level 4 restriction, put into effect Sept. 28, had recently been modified to allow only for limited hand watering, some irrigation and the filling of swimming pools on odd-even days.

Those outside watering limitations will be relaxed if the Level 2 modification is approved in coming weeks. Residents could water outside with odd-numbered addresses watering on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and with even-numbered addresses watering on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Outside watering would still be prohibited on Fridays. Hours for watering would be midnight until 10 a.m.

Responding to a question by Chairman Jack Smith as to whether the county has sufficient water to request the modification from Level 4 to Level 2 and not jeopardize citizens, Parrott said that was the case. He said county residents had complied fully with the Level 4 regulations.

Included in the restrictions is the ban on any use of automatic sprinkler systems or even manual sprinkler devices.

“Our people have operated by the rules and are still following the rules,” Parrott said.

Parrott agreed with commissioners that Fayette needs the greatest reduction in drought levels possible and to the greatest extent possible. Parrott said the county should hear something from DNR in the next couple of weeks.

DNR recently announced that counties could petition to have drought restrictions levels modified.

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