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Etowah Water & Sewer Authority
2008 Outdoor Water Use Ban Guidelines
“Effective May 6, 2008, EWSA is under a Level 4 (four) Drought Schedule with limited and specific water
uses – see further details under Level Four with
additional water use exemptions, page 2 - 5.”
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The Etowah Water & Sewer Authority System is abiding by a directive of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
for water use curtailments for the 15-county Metro Atlanta region.
Outdoor water use schedule during non-drought periods:
- On an even and odd address basis on allowed days only (listed below) except for the establishment of turf. See rules and exemptions
below.
- No time restrictions for non-drought periods.
- See below for basic drought schedules for outdoor water use, level one through level five.
Persons with private wells or those who pump from ponds or streams are requested to follow water ban guidelines; it is suggested they post a notice sign as to “Private Water Source” and notify the
Etowah Water & Sewer Authority for listing and verification of their private water source. |
“Allowed Days”: (as defined by State and may be restricted and/or limited under each drought level)—see details under each level to
verify allowed days). Using the last number in your street address:
- Odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursdays and Sundays.
- Even-numbered or unnumbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- No outdoor water use on Friday whatsoever.
“Allowed Weekend Day”; (as defined by State and may be restricted and/or eliminated under each drought level—see details under each
level to see if weekend watering is allowed). Using the last number in your address:
- Odd-numbered addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 may water on Sundays.
- Even-numbered or unnumbered addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, may water on Saturdays.
Basic Drought Schedule for Outdoor Water Use:
- Level One:
- Water on allowed days, from 12 midnight to 10 am and from 4 pm to 12 midnight.
- Level Two:
- Water on allowed days, from 12 midnight to 10 am.
- Level Three:
- Water on allowed weekend day, from 12 midnight to 10 am.
- Level Four:
- Complete outdoor water use ban. EFFECTIVE MAY 6, 2008 EPD has limited and specific allowed exemptions for Level 4 – see
info below allowed on designated day from midnight to 10 am based on the odd/even schedule.
- Level Four – Effective May 6, 2008
- Limited water use for three (3) specific activities from 12 midnight and 10 am.
- Based on designated days on odd-numbered (Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday) and even-numbered (Monday, Wednesday & Saturday) addresses.
- Specifically to fill existing swimming pools, hand water existing landscape for 25 minutes per designated day and water newly
installed landscape by a certified installer for a period of ten weeks during designated time and designated days and meet other procedures as established by EWSA in order to meet EPD’s guidelines.
- Filling of existing swimming pools on the designated day and between the hours of midnight and 10 am.
- Outdoor hand watering - Each household, business or other institution/property owner will be allowed to use one
garden hose with a spray nozzle, 25 minutes a day, during designated hours on designated days to water plants only:
- The hose must be hand held during watering and equipped with a standard spray nozzle that
automatically turns off when you let go of it.
- Within the hours of 12:00 midnight and 10:00 am on designated days.
- Odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
- Even-numbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- You may not use the allotted time to water for uses other than watering plants such as outdoor washing or
recreation. You may not wash your car/truck/boat/camper, etc.
- Local governments and water utilities may adopt restrictions that are more stringent than the restrictions imposed
by the State (per 391-3-30-06) in order to maintain the water system.
- Newly installed landscape - Under the new State requirements, new landscaping installed by anyone may be watered as follows:
- By any person who has registered with the Outdoor Water Use Registration Program at www.urbanagcouncil.com beginning March 1, 2008. After you register, you must provide a copy to the
Authority office. You must also display a copy of the certificate in a prominent location on the property.
- Within the hours of 12:00 midnight and 10:00 am.
- For 3 days per week (on your designated day) for 10 consecutive weeks.
- Odd numbered addresses may water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
- Even-numbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- You must contact EWSA and have your account documented with a start and end date.
- Customers in violations will be subject to the terms, fines and penalties as listed under “Violations – see page 5”.
Residential, commercial, government and institutional water use restrictions including, but not limited to; watering lawns, washing cars at non-commercial
facilities, hosing sidewalks and driveways; and outdoor recreational activities. Please note that irrigation controls may require resetting to accommodate the allowed days.
EXCEPTIONS: Outdoor water use that is essential to a business’s provision of services to a customer is NOT
included at this time and is NOT subject to warning or citation. There is NO intent to cause economic hardship to local business operations.
Examples of commercials/business eligible for exemptions are:
- Irrigation of personal food gardens are exempt from restrictions
- Commercial power or pressure washing
- Commercial car washes
- Commercial hydro-seeding. Over-seeding is not exempt.
- Construction sites and new unoccupied construction (e.g. pouring of concrete or to re-implement vegetation after earth moving)
- Golf courses-misting of putting greens only-fairways shall follow irrigation schedule for unnumbered addresses based on allowable days and drought level.
- Nurseries/Garden Centers – may maintain, as necessary, retail inventory but on-site landscaped areas are subject to ban restrictions.
- Turf installers. PLEASE SEE REVISED CHANGES ABOVE for new installed landscape UNDER LEVEL 4 (Four) Drought Effective May 6, 2008
- At the time of professional installation only and for the first 24 hours, there is a full exception of ban restrictions. Professional landscapers
must be certified or licensed for commercial exception to apply. An invoice must be presented to EWSA and the account documented for the applicable 30 days.
- For a 30-day period following the day of installation, for the purpose of allowing turn establishment, the site of the new turf is exempt from
the even-odd restriction (allowing watering on an every day basis, except on Fridays), but is not exempt from the 10 am to midnight
watering restrictions (Level 1 or higher level restrictions). Installation documentation will be required.
- Irrigation contractors-during installation and as needed for proper maintenance and adjustment only.
- Sod producers
- Ornamental growers
- Fruit and vegetable growers
- Retail garden centers
- Producers of foods and fibers
- Watering in of pesticides and herbicides on turf
- Other activities essential to daily business.
Prudent water management will be expected of all commercial users.
Note that some State-allowed exemptions may be curtailed in Level 3
, 4 & 5.
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