Drought Updates

Effective Wednesday, May 7, 2008 current State Law (HB 1281) requires that all Georgia water providers must comply with EPD Outdoor Water Use Rules, unless they apply for and receive approval from EPD to increase or decrease existing rules. See details re: HB 1281 below for more information.

lease note that 55 north Georgia counties are currently at Drought Level 4; 60 central Georgia counties are at Drought Level 2 and the remainder of the southern/coastal counties are at Drought Level 1. Below are the current rules and requirements for these drought levels.

B 1281 Key Points for Outdoor Water Use: It provides a mechanism for political subdivisions or a local government authority to relax state imposed general restrictions by demonstrating ‘good cause’ and receiving approval from Georgia EPD for a length of time determined by the director. EPD has five business days to render a decision.

It provides a mechanism for political subdivisions or a local government authority to become more restrictive than general state provisions by demonstrating ‘good cause’ and receiving approval from Georgia EPD. Again, EPD has five business days to render a decision. Political subdivisions or local government authorities can, only in the case of an emergency (public health, safety or welfare), implement restrictions for no more than seven days without having to get EPD approval.

The law is in effect today (May 7, 2008) through July 1, 2010 unless it is extended for a longer period of time through legislative action by the Georgia General Assembly.

008 OUTDOOR WATERING RESTRICTIONS Updated May 16, 2008

Under current State Law, all water utilities must comply with EPD Outdoor Water Use Rules unless they receive approval from EPD to increase or decrease existing rules.

Fifty-five North Georgia counties remain at Level 4 (including metro-Atlanta). See Below for Complete List

The following is allowed under Level 4 Drought Restrictions:

  1. Established landscapes can be hand-watered by any person:**
  2. For 25 minutes between 12:00 midnight and 10:00 a.m. (*hand watering is defined as one person with one garden house with a spray nozzle that shuts off automatically when it is released)
  3. Watering is restricted to the hours of 12:00 midnight to 10:00 a.m.
  4. Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
  5. Even-numbered addresses: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
  6. Newly installed landscapes may be watered; By any person who has registered with the Outdoor Water Use Registration Program ***
  7. Watering is allowed for 30 days during a period of 10 weeks
  8. Watering is restricted to the hours of 12:00 midnight to 10:00 a.m.
  9. 3 days/week for 10 consecutive weeks on an odd/even schedule
  10. Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
  11. Even-numbered addresses: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
  12. During installation, new landscapes may be watered in at any time of the day

Outdoor water use program is available:
At your county extensions service office (1-800-ASK-UGA1) – free Online at www.urbanagcouncil.com - $ 4.95 convenience fee charge
Each landscape company needs to register for this program (may copy certificate for use at multiple addresses).
Each landscape company’s clients (homeowner/property owner or manager) must also complete this program for each property they own or manage.

Additionally, the following activities are exempt from water restrictions, by EPD Drought Management Plan:

  • Commercial Uses
    1. Above rules for landscape installation use supercede rules that are listed in RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCESENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISIONCHAPTER 391-3-30 OUTDOOR WATER USE
    2. Irrigation contractors: during installation and as needed for proper maintenance and adjustments only.
    3. Sod producers
    4. Ornamental growers
    5. Fruit and vegetable growers
    6. Retail garden centers
    7. Hydro-seeding
    8. Power-washing
    9. Construction sites (to establish vegetative cover after earth moving)
    10. Producers of food and fiber
    11. Car washes
    12. Water needed to sustain daily business
    13. Watering-in of pesticides and herbicides on turf.

The following uses are PROHIBITED under Drought Level 4:

  1. Using hydrants for any purpose other than firefighting, public health, safety or flushing.
  2. Washing hard surfaces, such as streets, gutters, sidewalks, driveways, except when necessary for public health and safety
  3. Filling installed swimming pools except when necessary for health care or structural integrity. Adopted 5/26/04
  4. Washing vehicles, such as cars, boats, trailers, motorbikes, airplanes, golf carts.
  5. Washing buildings or structures except for immediate fire protection.
  6. Non-commercial fund-raisers, such as car washes.
  7. Using water for ornamental purposes, such as fountains, reflecting pools, and waterfalls except when necessary to support aquatic life.

For complete Rules, Regulations and Exemptions please go to the website, www.gaepd.org , click on “Outdoor Water Use Schedule” and then click on “Rules for Outdoor Water Use”.

Sixty Central Georgia counties are now at Drought Level 2
Including 6 counties who have been moved from Level 4 to Level 2 (Muscogee, Harris, Spalding, Butts, Jasper and Greene counties). The Outdoor Water Use Registration Program is not required under Drought Level 2. . If your county has gone to drought level two you must revert back to the language found in the Outdoor Water Use rule: http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/rules/rules_exist/391-3-30.pdf

Drought Level 2
New landscapes may be watered for 30 consecutive days between midnight and 10 am. Professionally installed new landscapes have a commercial exemption and may be watered anytime of day for 30 consecutive days. Existing landscapes in Drought Level Two may be watered from midnight until 10 am on the odd even system.
Level 2 drought response area includes Atkinson, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bibb, Bleckley, Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Chattahoochee, Clay, Coffee, Columbia, Crawford, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Glascock, Greene, Hancock, Harris, Houston, Irwin, Jasper, Jefferson, Jones, Lamar, Lee, Macon, Marion, Mc Duffie, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Terrell, Tift, Turner, Twiggs, Upson, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wilcox, Wilkinson, and Worth counties.

Forty-four Middle and South Georgia counties are now at Drought Level 1.
Drought Level one is the least restrictive level and outdoor water may be used between midnight and 10 am and 4 pm to midnight on the odd/even house number system.

Level 1 drought response area includes Appling, Bacon, Baker, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Early, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glynn, Grady, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Long, Lowndes, McIntosh, Miller, Montgomery, Mitchell, Pierce, Screven, Seminole, Tattnall, Thomas, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Wayne and Wheeler counties.

City and County Contact Information

This list contains counties currently under Drought Level 4 and selected cities. UAC does not guarantee accuracy of phone numbers and websites.

City of Alpharetta
City of Atlanta
City of Auburn
City of Austell
Town of Braselton
City of Buford
City of Canton
City of Cartersville		 City of Cumming
City of Dahlonega
City of Gainesville
City of Griffin
City of Jefferson
City of Johns Creek
City of Lawrenceville
City of Loganville		 City of Milton
City of Norcross
City of Powder Springs
City of Roswell
City of Sandy Springs
City of Smyrna
City of Woodstock

COUNTIES UNDER DROUGHT LEVEL 4:

Russell Landscape Group Certified for Reclaimed Water
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=112751

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/03/12/water_0313.html