The Georgia Water Stewardship Act, applicable to the City of Gainesville, went into effect statewide June 2, 2010. It allows daily outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs or other plants only before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. by anyone whose water is supplied by a water system permitted by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
A few of the outdoor water uses are allowed daily at any time of the day by anyone:
- Capture and reuse of cooling system condensate or stormwater in compliance with applicable local ordinances and state guidelines
- 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
- Hand watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container
- Irrigation of athletic fields, golf courses or public turf grass recreational areas
