FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                   October 17, 2007

CARY TO SUPPORT GOVERNOR’S REQUEST BY SUSPENDING ALL AUTOMATED IRRIGATION BEGINNING NOV 1

Town to use next two weeks to educate customers on the change

CARY, NC – Although Cary citizens have been leading the state in supporting mandatory, year-round water conservation for more than seven years and even cut their demand from this summer’s peak by as much as 30 percent, the Town of Cary will ask citizens to do more by discontinuing all outdoor watering using automated devices starting November 1 in light of Governor Easley’s call for increased conservation. 

Starting November 1, 2007 and continuing at least through December 31, 2007 , citizens in Cary and Morrisville connected to the Town of Cary ’s water system will no longer be able to water outdoors using irrigation systems, sprinklers, or other automated watering devices.  Hand-watering will continue to be allowed any day of the week.  Officials believe the change in watering rules may shave another several million gallons from daily demand.

“Even though we are not in the dire situation of other communities, we want to continue doing our part to help our neighbors and to do our best to ensure we have plenty of water for the future,” said Town Manager Bill Coleman. “Our long and deeply established culture of conservation coupled with good planning and hard work make Cary a model for how a high quality of life and preservation of natural resources can go hand in hand.”

The Nov. 1 ban on automated outdoor watering does not apply to reclaimed water system customers, nor does it impact the government’s ability to maintain safe surfaces at its fields.  Outdoor washing will also still be okay.

“In his remarks, Governor Easley charged local governments with determining what specific additional water conservation measures were appropriate for their communities, and in Cary, car and other kinds of washing are really incidental uses by our citizens.  Landscape irrigation is the significant water use, and targeting irrigation is the best way Cary can help make a difference,” said Coleman.  “Of course, we encourage everyone who can do more to do as much as they can.”

In light of the upcoming ban on automated watering, the Town has discontinued issuing three week exemptions to its year-round watering rules for establishing new grass or reseeding; the Town will honor the approximately 830 existing exemption permits already granted.  Since 2000, the Town has issued an average of about 600 temporary passes from the rules to allow daily watering as needed to establish new seed, sod, or plugs since doing so helps prevent erosion and allows citizens to make desired aesthetic improvements to their property.

“We recognize the impact these decisions may have on some of our customers, and we appreciate their continued support in this difficult time for so many in our state,” said Coleman.  Coleman added that while the Town will use the rest of the month to make sure customers are fully informed about the water conservation changes, he hopes citizens will begin following the stricter approach as soon as they hear about it.

The new water rules come with new penalties.  Customers will be given one warning for violating the new rules before any fines are assessed.  Those who violate the rules a second time face a fine of $500 and $1,000 for each additional violation.  The Town could discontinue water service to a violator who violates the rules six times.

“Our experience is that most people do the right thing once they know the expectations,” said Coleman.

With the level of Jordan Lake now at just over 210 feet from its normal level of 216 feet, the Town has switched to using its lower of two water intakes for its raw water supply.  Regular testing reveals that the water quality at this lower level remains good despite initial concerns that it might be challenging for the Town to treat water from these depths.  Cary ’s lower intake sits at about 203 feet. 

The Town plans to keep the upcoming ban on automated irrigation in place until the region experiences meaningful relief from the drought. “The factors for our reducing these tighter conservation measures will include the level of Jordan Lake, our water plant operations, the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council drought classifications, and weather forecasts,” said Coleman.

For more about the Town of Cary ’s water supply, demand, and comprehensive conservation efforts, click on the H20 icon at www.townofcary.org.

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