Twice Weekly Irrigation Allowed 7/18/08

Updated Friday, July 18, 2008

Stage 2 Key Provisions

Holly Springs residents can use sprinklers and irrigation systems twice a week by schedule until further notice as permanent repairs continue at the Harnett County water treatment plant in Lillington.

The irrigation schedule is:

• Even-number addresses - Wednesdays & Saturdays from 6-10 a.m. or 6-10 p.m.
• Odd-number addresses - Thursdays & Sundays from 6-10 a.m. or 6-10 p.m.

Watering with cans and hand-held hoses is not restricted.

Washing cars at home is not allowed anytime. However, commercial car washes can operate throughout the week.

See the key provisions of Stage 2 water restrictions.

Temporary repairs have allowed Harnett County to resume pumping to Holly Springs. Holly Springs Town Manager Carl Dean said the Town wanted to allow some watering, but is proceeding conservatively since permanent repairs at the plant continue.

The latest restrictions may continue until those permanent repairs are finished. That could take several weeks.

The twice-a-week irrigation schedule is part of Stage 2 water restrictions, which Dean enacted Tuesday morning. No outdoor water use had been allowed in Holly Springs since Sunday morning, when a 36-inch diameter line carrying water to Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina broke at the Harnett plant.

Until the line break, Holly Springs allowed use of irrigation and sprinkler systems three days a week. The Stage 2 rules now in effect are the next step in Holly Springs' water restrictions.

Holly Springs officials received word about 4 a.m. Sunday of the line break and equipment failure at the Harnett plant, which occurred after a lightning strike.

The Town resumed buying water from Raleigh during the emergency. For awhile Sunday, Holly Springs also obtained water from Apex. However, the amounts available were less than recent daily consumption in Holly Springs.

Reverse 911 phone calls went out to Holly Springs residents early Sunday morning alerting them of the water emergency and telling residents to use water only for essential purposes such as drinking and cooking.

Town employees erected dozens of signs about the water emergency at major intersections and contacted churches and homeowner associations for help in spreading the word. The Town also notified restaurants and other businesses about the emergency and shut off irrigation meters around Holly Springs.

Signs were posted throughout Holly Springs on Sunday and were updated Monday.

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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