Drought: Water-Use Restrictions

The schedules apply to water providers permitted by EPD and their customers.

Please contact your water authority for the schedules in place for your address.

Odd/even water-use schedules work as follows:

• Rules of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division (pdf)

Officials at EPD look at many indicators of moisture in the state, including groundwater levels, streamflows, reservoir levels, rainfall in the last 90 days, expected precipitation in the next 90 days and water use patterns across the state, (all that comes from the state climatologist, United States Geological Survey, National Weather Service, EPD staff, water utilities managers, etc.) to make that decision. There's no formula and there's no specifically defined scoring sheet. Instead, after collecting the sort of information described above, EPD makes a decision to (or not to) put water-use schedules in place. It's not done lightly — there's a lot of scientific data that goes into the decision and they realize the effect it has on day-to-day life for the people of Georgia. However, they do have your best interests in mind and are working to ensure a continued supply of drinking water.

They set the times for the schedules based on local water-use patterns. The times set are based on when the most water is used: businesses use the most during the day to water their landscaping and homeowners use the most water outdoors (for washing cars and watering lawns and gardens, for example) when they get home from work. By scheduling water use during these times, EPD could quickly affect the amount of water being drawn from the resources available.

That's a million-dollar question. When groundwater and surfacewater resources are severely depleted, it takes almost as many years to get out of drought level as it takes to get into it, says David Stooksbury, the state climatologist. Even when it seems it's been raining every day or when we're not far off our "normal" rainfall patterns for a month or so, our water resources haven't yet recharged. And so there is still (and is always) a need to conserve our water resources.

According to David Stooksbury, state climatologist, that number of "needed participation to end drought" is an assumption that all of that would come in one week. And, yes, that would break the meteorological drought. However, another drought could start the next week.

"Because there are several kinds of drought, different parts of the state can be in varying degrees of the different kinds of drought," Stooksbury said.

Three types of drought:

• Meteorological drought can come and go as frequently, and as quickly, as rainstorms do.
• Agricultural drought is based on moisture levels in the top 24 or so inches of the soil — where plants need it — and where conditions can change dramatically with one good rainstorm. It also resets every year.
• Hydrological drought is much deeper. Hydrological conditions — surface and groundwater levels and flows — are measured continuously, drought or not, so it covers a longer time period with no resetting.

So, meteorological drought comes and goes; agricultural drought does the same, but a little more slowly; and hydrological drought takes many years to get into and out of.

Newly (in place less than thirty days) installed landscapes are subject to the following:

(a) Irrigation of newly installed landscapes is allowed any day of the week, but only during allowed hours for the drought response level in effect, for a period of 30 days following installation. No watering is allowed during Drought Response Level Four.

(b) For new landscapes installed by certified or licensed professionals, commercial exemptions apply.

The following commercial outdoor water uses are exempt from the outdoor water use schedules. (a) Professionally certified or licensed landscapers, golf course contractors, and sports turf landscapers: during installation and 30 days following installation only. Professional landscapers must be certified or licensed for commercial exemptions to apply. (b) Irrigation contractors: during installation and as needed for proper maintenance and adjustments only. (c) Sod producers. (d) Ornamental growers. (e) Fruit and vegetable growers. (f) Retail garden centers. (g) Hydro-seeding. (h) Power-washing. (i) Construction sites. (j) Producers of food and fiber. (k) Car washes. (l) Other activities essential to daily business. (m) Watering-in of pesticides and herbicides on turf.

Are there exemptions to the outdoor watering schedule?

The EPD cannot and does not regulate water use from a private well or other privately owned sources. However, EPD officials generally ask that those who rely on a private well as their water source abide by the schedules to conserve water.

The water-use schedules apply to ALL outdoor water use, not just lawn watering. You can use water outdoors for any purpose according to the restrictions in place by EPD or your local water authority, whichever is stricter. Again, please consider if that use is really necessary.

Under drought response level two, pressure washing of hard surfaces (driveways) by homeowners is prohibited. Pressure washing of structures (houses) by homeowners is allowed, but must be done on assigned days during designated hours.

At the current time the schedules announced by EPD does not apply to commercial enterprises using water outdoors for business purposes. Such entities include commercial car washes, commercial pressure washing of homes and other structures, etc. Local water utilities may elect to expand the ban to include such uses.

There is no exemption to announced EPD water use rules for fundraising
(e.g., school/church car washes). Fundraising activities are allowed
during the prescribed water use period. As with all outdoor water use
activities, local water utilities may elect to limit outdoor water use
activities.

The schedules do apply to the filling of private swimming pools and other home recreational uses. Like any other outdoor water uses, you can use water outdoors recreationally outside the hours of the bans and according to the schedules in place for your address.

Under drought response level two, you can fill your swimming pool on assigned days during designated hours. (This is prohibited under level three, unless it's done for health care or structural integrity.)

The Rule has a section specific to water use on golf courses. Please see 391-3-30-.05 Exemptions (4) http://www.georgiaepd.com/Files_PDF/rules/rules_exist/391-3-30.pdf.

The schedules will be enforced by the local water utilities. Each water utility will define its own enforcement guidelines, and such guidelines do not require EPD's input or approval.

The best place for information on water conservation is at your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office. Call 1-800-ASK-UGA1 or visit us on-line at www.ugaextension.com.