MSO Water System has an answering service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all types of emergencies.  
Call 912.489.6668

​​WATER CONSERVATION RESTRICTED GUIDELINES

​​The Georgia Water Stewardship Act went into effect statewide on June 2, 2010.
It allows daily outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees , shrubs, or other plants only between the hours of 4pm and 10am by anyone whose water is supplied by a water system permitted by the Environmental protection Divison.

​OUTDOOR WATER USE

1. I heard I can water my yard every day. Is that true?

•  Yes. The Governor recently signed a new state law. Citizens in Georgia can now water any day of the week regardless of your address between the hours of 4 PM and 10 AM. There is no watering between 10 AM and 4 PM. These new time limitations are ONLY for landscape use.

2. Now can I wash my car or pressure wash my house any day too?

•  Yes and there are no hourly restrictions for this activity.

3. If I don’t have an automated sprinkler I have to water with a hose before 10 AM or after 4 PM?

•  No. The new rules allow hand watering with a shut off nozzle any time of the day any day of the week.

4. What if I have a little league game scheduled and we need to water the field to cool it down at 2 PM?

•  Sports fields and parks are exempt from the hourly restrictions. These areas may be watered any time any day of the week.

5. What if I put in new landscape? Do I have to water between 4PM and 10 AM?

•  No. Newly installed landscape is also exempt from the hourly restrictions for the first 30 days following installation.

6. What about drip irrigation?

•  Drip irrigation is completely exempt from the outdoor rules it may be used any day or any time.

7. What exemptions exist to the new hourly restrictions?

•  Commercial Agriculture.
   Alternative sources of water (grey water, rain water, condensate, etc.) 
   Irrigation of food gardens. 
   Irrigation of newly installed or reseeded turf for the first 30 days.
   Drip irrigation or soaker hoses.
   Hand watering with a shut off nozzle.
   Water from a private well. 
   Irrigation of plants for sale.
   Irrigation of athletic fields, golf courses or public recreational turf.
   Installation and maintenance of irrigation systems. 
   Hydroseeding.

8. What if a professional pressure washes my house? Does it have to be on the odd / even schedule?

•  No. Commercial businesses are exempt from day of the week restrictions.

9. Now can I have a charity car wash on any day regardless of the address?

•  Yes. There are no restrictions on this water use.

10. The step test:

•  Place your foot firmly on your turf area. 
   Watch how quickly the turf springs up to cover your footprint. 
   If the turf springs up immediately (a few seconds) your turf is probably not in need of watering. 
   If the foot print remains or the turf slowly rises to eventually cover it your turf is in need of a deep watering.

11. Visual Inspection

•  Check plants in the early morning or late evening. Plants checked in the heat of the day will always appear to need water. 
   If the plant is wilting; yellow or grayish in appearance; has dried edges or browning; or loss of flowering the plant is probably in need of water.

Helpful Links:

Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission
www.gaswcc.georgia.gov

GA EPD resource
www.conservewatergeorgia.net

Georgia Department of Community Affairs
www.dca.state.ga.us

Georgia Environmental Protection Division
www.gaepd.org

Georgia Rural Water Association
www.grwa.org

Georgia Conservancy
www.gaconservancy.org

Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov

Georgia Utility Protection Center
www.gaupc.com

Info on the Floridan Aquifer
http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/aquiferbasics/ext_floridan.html

WATER CONSERVATION EDUCATION