The Georgia Water Stewardship Act 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• Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;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.
