Irrigation Ban Starts Nov. 1 10/17/2007

The Town of Holly Springs will ban use of sprinklers and automatic irrigation systems starting Nov. 1 because of record drought. Hand-watering will be allowed only two days a week then.

Watering permits for new seed or sod that the Town issues Oct. 17 or afterward will expire Nov. 1. However, residents who received 30-day permits before the Oct. 17 rules change can water until the permit's original expiration date.

Washing cars at home will be banned effective Nov. 1. However, commercial car washes will remain open after that time. Power washing companies are not restricted. But homeowners can do their own power washing only on weekends starting next month.

Restrictions at a Glance

Town Manager Carl Dean ordered the additional restrictions after consulting the Town Council at its regularly-scheduled meeting the evening of Oct. 16. He delayed the effective date until Nov. 1 to allow sufficient notice of the new rules.

“We need to be good stewards of our water resources,” Dean said Wednesday. “It's the right thing to do.”

Holly Springs' existing restrictions took effect in early September, when the Town cut the use of sprinklers and automatic irrigation systems from three times a week to once a week.

With the switch to once-a-week irrigation, Holly Springs water customers cut usage in September by more than 20 percent compared with August. During the first half of October, usage was running more than 8 percent below that of September.

Town officials have praised homeowners' high level of compliance with watering restrictions while stressing the need for even more conservation since no drought relief is in sight.

“If we don't get substantial rain in the next four months, we're going to have real problems,” Dean said in September. “This is serious stuff.”

Holly Springs buys most of its water from Harnett County, which draws from the Cape Fear River. The city of Raleigh uses Falls Lake.

Raleigh will ban irrigation systems effective Oct. 23. Watering with hand-held hoses will be allowed on the twice-a-week schedule that Holly Springs is adopting for hand-held hoses.

The Town of Holly Springs is contractually obligated to follow its suppliers' lead on watering restrictions.

Gov. Mike Easley has asked municipalities to increase conservation to preserve public health and safety and avoid the need for rationing.

The drought across much of the state is the worst in recorded history. With a winter forecast of drier than normal conditions, the governor said every citizen must save water in every way possible.

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Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us