With Fayette County’s southernmost reservoir at an historic low due to the drought, county water system customers are being required to switch to the odd-even outdoor watering system to help conserve drinking water.
That includes Peachtree City, Tyrone, Brooks and all water customers living in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Under the new scheme, odd-numbered addresses will be allowed to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays while even-numbered addresses will be allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. No outdoor watering would be allowed on Fridays at all.
A further restriction is that all outdoor watering must occur between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., the same as before.
Customers who are served by the city of Fayetteville water system will not need to abide by the county’s restrictions but they have to follow the city’s water restrictions, which limit all outdoor watering except for landscaping to the odd-even system with odd addresses watering on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and even-numbered addresses watering on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. No outdoor watering is allowed on Fridays.
Although the daily landscape watering in Fayetteville must occur between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., there are no hourly limits on all other outdoor watering as long as it occurs on the odd-even system.
The new restrictions were requested by county water officials in light of the Lake Horton reservoir reaching a historic low due to the drought. The lack of rain over the winter months prevented the lake from filling as it usually does, officials have said.
Prior to the new restrictions, outdoor watering was not restricted to the odd-even schedule.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has approved the county’s request for the new water restrictions.
As for enforcement of the new restrictions, Water System Director Tony Parrott said it will take about 30 days to notify all water system customers in their monthly bills, so there will be a transition period involving public education. As an example, if a meter reader drives by a location where someone is watering beyond the new restrictions, the reader will meet with the property owner to explain the matter, Parrott said.
The new watering restrictions will not apply to property owners who get their water from private wells, officials said.
The last time watering restrictions were enhanced, residents and business owners were cooperative in helping to conserve water, Parrott has said recently.
