With county reservoirs back to healthy levels and a 300-plus day supply of fresh water on hand, Fayette County officials will ask the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to ease drought restrictions for local residents and businesses.

If the effort is successful, residents will be allowed to wash vehicles at home, pressure-wash homes and outdoor surfaces and turn their fountains back on again.

There would also be no restrictions on outdoor watering except for the typical odd-even schedule that Fayette was using before the state increased drought restrictions.

As of right now, all such activities are completely banned, thanks to the historic drought the state has experienced. That is, unless you wash your car at a commercial car wash or hire a private company to handle your pressure washing needs.

County Administrator Jack Krakeel informed the county commission Wednesday that state climatologists have determined the drought is over for Fayette County.

“Our stream levels and soil moisture have returned to normal,” Krakeel said. “We’re at full pool at Lake Horton and Starr’s Mill.”

Georgia Environmental Protection Division recently agreed to allow property owners to use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water existing landscaping up to one our per day three days per week between midnight and 10 a.m. Odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and even-numbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Property owners are also allowed to use the same schedule to water existing landscaping by hand for 25 minutes per day, and new landscaping can be watered three days a week in the same time and date frame once the person responsible registers with the outdoor water use registration program at www.outdoorwateruse.com.