If you

water your grass during the day, you could be looking at

having your tap removed.

That's the

word from Coweta County Water director Harry Hughes in

light of water restrictions handed down by the state

Environmental Protection Division last week.

The EPD

outlawed watering between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. in the

Atlanta region. The drought in the last two years has led

state officials to say that a total ban on outdoor

watering could occur later in the summer.

Hughes told

the Coweta County Commission Tuesday afternoon that an

enforcement step had to be added to the ban. After

studying proposals in other counties, Hughes recommended

the first stage to be a warning from the water

department.

The next

violation would result in the resident's water tap being

cut off until a $200 fine is paid.

Repeated

violations would results in $500 fines and water taps

removed from the residence until the watering ban is

lifted.

"Outdoor

water use is a conscious effort and we want people to

know we're serious about this," Hughes said.

He said

water department officials should be able to handle the

enforcement, but he had already talked to Sheriff Mike

Yeager, who agreed to help with the enforcement.

Commission

Chairman Vernon "Mutt" Hunter agreed that

enforcement would be the toughest part and also

instructed Hughes to stop the unauthorized use of fire

hydrants in the county by residents or businesses.

Hughes

pledged to crack down on hydrant violations and said he

would keep the commission informed on violations.