Water Restrictions Lifted, Georgians Can Swim and Water Plants This Spring
Water restrictions are easing in Georgia. Today Governor Sonny Perdue gave north Georgians permission to hand-water plants for 25 minutes three days a week. Homeowners and professional landscapers can water newly-installed landscaping up to three days a week for ten weeks, once they pass an online certification program that will start running in April. The severe drought forced the state last fall to virtually ban all outdoor watering in north Georgia and order public water providers in the region to cut their water withdrawals by ten percent. Public pools will also be allowed to open this summer.
It has been raining, but the future still looks dry; that was the message of Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch as she updated a house committee today on Georgia’s drought. She's also the advisor to the governor about Georgia’s water supply.
Couch said that it could take four years to replenish our drought-depleted water supply, but we don’t have to choose right now between drinking water and pool water. The governor has run with that recommendation.
"Today," Governor Perdue said, "I’m pleased to announce we will be exempting outdoor restrictions to swimming pools as well. So swim, kids, swim."
Earlier, he lifted restrictions on watering out-door plants.
"We're not taking the foot off the throttle for water-use" said Couch, but this is an effort "to strike a balance between drinking-water needs and economic interests."