Thankfully the rain has been good in our area the last few weeks.
But this was news to me yesterday ...
Our local extension agent said that during the level 2 water restrictions the rules ONLY apply to sprinkler systems - NOT drip systems or watering with a hose. So you can hand water at any time on any day. He said that the rationing applied to those also using well water. However he was unaware that the rules didn't apply to vegetable gardens - although someone else had also heard that.
Water restrictions
I'm not sure I would test the hose issue here. Hand watering with a jug I think is okay.
Sounds like another good year for harvesting rainwater. Amazing how quickly the containers will fill from a half inch of rain. Good luck!
I called our Clayton county Water Co a couple of weeks ago and asked about the hose thing - she said NO- so I will stick to the local restrictions, don't need a fine. The Water Police come by twice a day checking. He stops and looks up the drivway with the window open, I guess he is listening for running water.
I wouldn't believe that. From what I understand your local authority may set the restriction level. However, then if you go to the state site, I think it is the GA EPA site, it will then explain all the details for each level. I think the rules at each level are the same for the entire state. There are exemptions for food gardens, new landscape under 30 days installed and swimming pool water levels if it is to maintain the structure. However, that guy told you bologna about hand watering. As for the jug thing, I don't know but my answer would be 'why does it make a difference how you get it to the plant when it all comes from the same source?' It all comes from your tap. I say all this not to sound like a know it all but because I have had the water people around here coming by. We had some neighbors in a feud calling on each other and people just trying to tell each other bad information. Here, on a second notice, I think they will shut your water off. My neighbor tried to put a few inches into the baby pool for the kids when it got really hot and they came around yelling at her. Someone had called and said she was filling it up everyday and then dumping it out every night and made it sound like she was really filling it and wasting tons of water.
Water in a wading pool quickly becomes stagnant but it would seem prudent to use the water to hand water containers, etc. instead of dumping it. A wading pool is not a lot of water anyway (well, it depends on the size of the pool).
I fill containers (big tub, pans, buckets) on watering days so I can dip from it if need be whenever I see fit. I see nothing wrong with this approach since I filled the containers on legal watering days. Now 3 pans are full of tadpoles so I can't use those anymore.
As for the 30 day new landscape, that seems bogus too. We have one neighbor that waters every day (rain or shine) but that is for the entire lawn just because of some new beds put in recently (one bed is more than a month old but the other two are a week to two weeks old). It would seem new landscape means new - not adjoining, old landscape. Thirty hours a week should be plenty to do a large lot easily or until the water bills become too large.
ga_peach, what I meant about jug watering is I don't think you are going to use but a few gallons because you will quickly tire of carrying jugs. Whereas, if you used a hose, you would use hundreds of gallons or maybe even thousands in the same time frame.
When I lived in Douglas County years ago, we had a total ban and I had to save all grey water to water a few precious plants.
Brenda
I can see where people would abuse the rules and bend them whenever they felt like it. Whenever there are rules there will be folks who will break them. I did look up the rules before though. There is an exemption for new landscaping for 30 days. And your right, people feel like, 'well I got the hose out. What would it hurt to water the neighboring plants that are over 30 days too while I am at it'. I see people around here getting out the sprinkler in the evenings after dinner and just letting it run, watering the entire yard. The lady down the street with the pool was one of them and I don't think she used the pool water for anything after although she did dump it in the grass. However, she wasn't filling it up all that often or all that high. And now that they talked to her, she doesn't really water anymore. She does sneak out with a jug to water a little area that is less than 30 days which is funny. That is the only part she is allowed to water more frequently and she sneaks.
The thing that gets me is who makes the restrictions? What would make them lower them. I know we got so much rain here just not too long ago that it rained for almost a week straight. Every evening it started after dinner and didn't quit until early morning. It rained so much, I had some wash outs to some parts of the yard. Mushrooms were growing everywhere. Now I understand that a lot of rain can make up for previous years droughts too, not just this years. However, if we got alot, would they ever consider lowering the ban back to a 2 from a 3? Seems like once they get it up there, they will never lower it.
I wonder the same thing - we have been under these same restrictions here in Clayton Co for several years now. I think people just forget about the restrictions after we have had some good rains, and the rules are not inforced. But now - with this extended drought where we are, I do understand it.
I do resent the fact that some businesses, Banks, Subdivision entrances, etc let their sprinklers go all day on grass, wasting it into the street while we work so diligently just to keep our gardens and expensive plants from dying.
What gets me are the irrigation systems that water the streets and/or driveways or are put in the wrong location such as behind the mailbox, fire hydrant, or utility boxes - why would the builder think you want to water the mailbox post anyway? Then the broken ones that don't spray but gurgle instead - great for shrubbery but not lawns.
Our irrigation system used to do that (lazy, cheap builder) until I dug up some of the heads and adjusted them for tilt (quit watering the streets), moved one to the other side of the mailbox, and replaced a broken one. It took a little digging and a visit to HD but it beats watering the pavement.
This is the 3rd worst drought on record. 1986 was supposed to be the worst and I remember a total ban then - it was disastrous but the following years it was like nothing ever happened. I wasn't around for the second worst one - 1914. Just two years ago we had major flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Dennis.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/html/dennis05.shtml