Watering Restrictions Remain in Place

As the weather heats up, county officials are reminding residents to follow the outdoor watering schedule.

Residents at even and un-numbered addresses are allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Residents living at odd-numbered addresses may water outdoors on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. No outdoor watering is allowed on Fridays.

Watering is not allowed between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. under both state law and county ordinance.

“That’s because much of the water is likely to evaporate in the heat before it soaks in,” said Jim Scarbrough of Gwinnett’s Water Resources department in a released statement. “It’s okay to water gardens and newly planted landscaping anytime but wasting water is always a waste.”

According to Scarbrough, most lawns require only an inch of water per week. Anything more is wasteful, he said.

Scarbrough added saving water also saves energy due to the large electrically operated pumps needed to supply water throughout the system. The electrical costs are passed on to consumers through the customer’s water bill. Conversely, using less electricity will also conserve water. Scarbrough said power companies use large amounts of water to generate electricity.

So far this year, Gwinnett’s peak usage was 98 million gallons in one day, according to acting director Lynn Smarr.

More information is available online at www.gwinnetth2o.com.