Georgia Eases Water Restrictions a Bit
By STEVE MATTHEWS, BLOOMBERG NEWS
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue plans to end a ban on outdoor watering to help the state’s landscapers and retailers cope with a record drought.
Watering plants using a garden hose with a spray nozzle that shuts off when released will be allowed for 25 minutes per day, three days a week, the governor said in a statement.
The state is continuing to mandate 10 percent water-use reductions from a year earlier, though the new policy gives “flexibility” intended to help sales of plants and trees. The drought prompted an estimated 14,000 landscaping workers in the Atlanta area to be laid off between June and October, the Metro Atlanta Landscape and Turf Association said.
Perdue said the region’s 6,500 public and 92,000 private swimming pools can be filled from April through September, unless counties impose more stringent restrictions.
North Georgia continues to experience “exceptional” drought conditions, the National Weather Service said Jan. 25. Atlanta has received 30 inches of rain in the past year, or 40 percent less than normal.
The Army Corps of Engineers in November cut the flow of water out of Atlanta’s main reservoir after federal officials rejected Florida’s argument that its fishing industry would be harmed.
A federal court decision released Wednesday barred Atlanta from taking more water from Lake Lanier, a victory for Florida and Alabama.
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