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 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. by anyone whose water is supplied by a water system permitted by the Environmental Protection Division.

The following outdoor water uses also are allowed daily at any time of the day by anyone:

• Commercial agricultural operations as defined in Code Section 1-3-3;
• Capture and reuse of cooling system condensate or storm water in compliance with applicable local ordinances and state guidelines;
• Reuse of gray water in compliance with Code Section 31-3-5.2 and applicable local board of health regulations adopted pursuant thereto;
• Use of reclaimed waste water by a designated user from a system permitted by the Environmental Protection Division of the department to provide reclaimed waste water;
• Irrigation of personal food gardens;
• Irrigation of new and replanted plant, seed, or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following the date of installation;
• Drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses;
• Handwatering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container;
• Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;
• Irrigation of horticultural crops held for sale, resale, or installation;
• Irrigation of athletic fields, golf courses, or public turf grass recreational areas;
• Installation, maintenance, or calibration of irrigation systems; or
• Hydroseeding.

Outdoor water use for any purposes other than watering of plants, such as power washing or washing cars, is still restricted to the current odd/even watering schedule.

• Odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
• Even-numbered and unnumbered addresses are allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For more information, please visit the Georgia Environmental Protection Division website and conservewatergeorgia.net.

Local governments and water providers are authorized to implement more stringent outdoor water use schedules within their jurisdictions.