Published Thursday, June 11, 2009
State eases watering rules
The Times-Herald
It's safe to break out those sprinklers, Slip 'n Slides and sponges -- the water restrictions have been eased.
Georgia's Environmental Protection Division director announced Wednesday that water restrictions are being lifted, following a meeting with the state's drought response committee.
Dr. Carol Couch, director of the Georgia EPD, has placed the entire state under a "non-drought" response.
"This drought has ended," Couch said at a joint press conference with Gov. Sonny Perdue. "Our water supplies are flush. Our rivers and streams have rebounded."
However, that doesn't mean it's a water free-for-all.
Even when there is no drought, Georgia still limits outdoor watering to three days a week on an odd-even basis.
But there are now no restrictions on what time of day you can water or what you can do with that water. The state recommends people not water plants during the hottest part of the day, but that's only a recommendation.
"We're excited. We're really excited," said Dennis McEntire, general manager of Newnan Utilities. "We applaud what they did and we will certainly abide by what they have now suggested we do," he said.
"We encourage our customers to use it wisely, but they can use it how they see fit on those days."
Residents with even-numbered addresses can water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Odd-numbered addressees water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
"It's great news," said Ellis Cadenhead, general manager of the Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority. Cadenhead had previously said the authority has received quite a lot of complaints from customers who want to wash their cars -- just not at 9 a.m.
Senoia City Manager Richard Ferry said he is relieved that the restrictions have been lifted, but "it still, honestly, remains to be seen how much it impacts us."
The city's reservoir is full, and has been for a long time. "We had several people questioning why we were even under watering restrictions," Ferry said.
The answer? Because the state said so.
The city's water revenues have suffered as people have cut back on watering. "Maybe we will see a little bit of an increase" in water sales, Ferry said. "But the reality is, the water restrictions were lifted because of the amount of rainfall ... so I don't know how many people will be watering."
Both Ferry and McEntire said they have yet to receive any official word, or details, from the state.
Jack Dozier, executive director of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, is a member of the drought response committee.
At the meeting, he said, State Climatologist David Stooksbury gave an overview of climate conditions as they now stand. "He and Dr. Couch both declared that the drought was over, and I think we are all in agreement with that," Dozier said.
Dozier said he didn't think "it surprised anybody that she was willing to act on the information we have now. The state climatologist report was pretty compelling."
Stooksbury told the committee that the spring of 2009 was the second wettest in 115 years, according to The Associated Press.
When asked if anyone on the drought response committee was not in agreement with the decision, Dozier said Pierre Howard, new director of the Georgia Conservancy, expressed concerns.
"I would say the environmental community is probably not in agreement with the action taken," Dozier said. "Their concern is valid ... you don't want to have people start wasting water again."
But that might not happen, Dozier said.
"I like to think that Georgians have seen the light. You change people's attitudes first by changing their behaviors. They've had to change their behavior for three or four years now," Dozier said. "Hopefully, people are more conscious of the need to conserve water and the need to be good water stewards."
Lawn watering is what concerns Dozier the most. "Have people really gotten the message that they don't have to water, even every other day?" he asked.
One drawback to the "even-odd" system is that someone, particularly a business, might go ahead and water on a Wednesday when they don't need to because they don't know what Thursday will bring in terms of weather.
"How it plays out is going to depend on our continuing to stress the importance of the proper use of water," Dozier said. "I think Georgians have gotten the message."
But water conservation comes at a cost for water providers. "With the severe outdoor watering restrictions, utilities' revenues have been well off, typically in the 15 to 20 percent range," Dozier said. "As a result, there have been cutbacks. In some cases, you've got staff that have to be released. In some places, capital projects have to be deferred because they were dependent on a revenue stream that disappeared," he said.
"It's a funny business that we're in. We produce a product people rely on ... and try to teach them how not to use it and how not to buy it."
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On the web: http://www.gaepd.org/Documents/water_use_schedules.html