Thursday, Jul. 24, 2008

Water restrictions eased for Macon water customers

Customers of the Macon Water Authority can now water their lawns in the late afternoon three days a week.

The authority asked the state for an exemption to the Level 2 state watering restrictions because Javors Lucas Lake, the authority's reservoir, is almost full, said authority Director Tony Rojas.

The Level 2 restrictions have been in place since April 2007 in response to a drought that began during summer 2006. Atlanta's water supply dropped so low last summer that most of a 55-county area in north Georgia remains under a complete watering ban.

But in a letter dated July 21, Carol Couch, the director of the state Environmental Protection Division, expanded the hours when Macon residents can water. Whereas watering had only been permitted between midnight and 10 a.m., now it will also be allowed between 4 p.m. and midnight. In other words, watering is banned only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"You don't need to be watering between 10 and 4 anyway," Rojas said. "That just wastes water, and we don't want people to do that."

Those with even-numbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Those with odd-numbered addresses may water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

"The good thing about it is that people who don't have irrigation systems are going to be able to take care of their lawns when they get home from work," Rojas said. "I think the other system discriminated against people without irrigation systems," which can be set to run during the night.

The Macon Water Authority is the only water utility outside the north Georgia/Atlanta area that has requested, or received, a change in watering restrictions, said Jim Ussery, an EPD assistant director.

The Atlanta-area counties that have not received exemptions are under a complete watering ban. The state Legislature gave water providers the ability to petition for a modification just this spring.

Along with its application, the authority provided the state with a detailed analysis of its storage and delivery capacity to show it can meet the community's water demands in the coming months and beyond, according to an authority news release.

The authority's exemption lasts through the end of the year, although an extension can be requested later, Ussery said.

Rojas said the authority had not received many complaints about the watering restrictions this year but petitioned for relief from the rules anyway.

"We've got plenty of water," he said, saying that the 625-acre lake is only a foot below full pool. "The rate payers paid for the reservoir and should be able to benefit from it."

The water level is 2 or 3 feet higher than it was at this time last year, and the authority remains able to pump water from the Ocmulgee River into the reservoir daily, Rojas said. The authority pumped out 33 million gallons Tuesday, he said.

Rojas said more people seem to be obeying the watering regulations this year as they get used to them.

To contact writer S. Heather Duncan, call 744-4225.