Easing of Water Restrictions Good News for Monmouth County Lawns
New Jersey American Water customers can now use sprinklers for outdoor watering but remain on an odd-even schedule.
Relief is in sight for parched lawns and wilting annuals across Monmouth County with the further easing of outdoor watering restrictions that have been in place since a water main break in June.
New Jersey American Water announced Thursday that sprinklers can now be used for watering but the odd-even schedule that was imposed July 8 remains in effect "for the foreseeable future," according to a release.
“Temporary repairs at our Swimming River Water Treatment Plant were completed last weekend and over the last few days, our ability to provide water to our customers in Monmouth County has been restored,” said Stephen P. Schmitt, vice president of operations for New Jersey American Water.
The odd/even watering schedule entails:
• Outdoor water use between the hours of 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on odd-numbered days of the month if your street address is an odd number (i.e., 23 Oak St., 7 Maple Ave.)
• Outdoor water use between the hours of 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on even-numbered days of the month if your street address is an even number (i.e., 6 Oak St., 354 Maple Ave.)
Exceptions are:
• Watering of new sod or seed if daily watering is required (note: it is recommended that any planting of new sod or seed that has not already taken place be delayed until the fall)
• Use of private wells for irrigation
• Commercial uses of outdoor water, such as for nurseries, farm stands, power washing, plumbing, athletic fields and car washes
Outdoor water restrictions were imposed on NJAW customers when a bridge holding three pipes at the company’s Swimming River Water Treatment Plant collapsed on June 29.
Don
11:58 am on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Can't wait to put the sprinkler on. The front lawn took a major hit with the lack of rain. Going out to pick up some fertilizer to give the lawn a boost. With that said, I do hope we find out why the bridge collapsed. I would think NJAW should have seen this coming.
Fred M
7:36 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Be very careful with fertilizer...You may actually burn your Lawn..Watering the Fertilzer in may burn lawn more...I would only use Milorganite Fertilzer
Rob P
12:17 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
NICE - can't wait to see the brown go green again!!
Mike Simpson
1:25 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Folks - please note this extract from the Press Release that is not quoted above...
"Should water demands rise to levels that place water quality or fire
protection at risk, more stringent water use restrictions would become necessary."
Aaron Schaffhausen
2:31 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Did you people actually listen to the restrictions? All of the sprinklers in my neighbor hood didnt stop or slow down.
Monmouth Resident
4:11 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Yeah baby...flood those lawns! lol
John Buechner
4:16 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Great news for local lawns and the green industry that depends on water to help keep lawns and landscapes healthy and green.
See Ted Run !
4:45 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
YAY... will start using water sprinkler tomorrow ! My lawn are getting parched. I do see a lot of people using the water sprinkler the past couple weeks regardless of the restriction. They sure got away with it !!!
Nancy Sadlon
5:35 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Emergency conservation is a hardship and hopefully people will continue to use only what they need in the odd /even conservation mode. The the good news is the resiliance of turfgraass and the value it plays in our environment!
NJarhead
7:56 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
I saw one sprinkler on in my neighborhood through the whole ordeal. Folks live on a main road and were watering their front lawn. My thought was, maybe they have well water, special permission or big brass ones. In any event, my neighbors and myself cooperated with the order.
Fred M
7:38 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Many people refused to listen to the Complete outdoor Sprinkler ban, yet we think they will listen to the new restrictions?
Gary Parent
6:30 am on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Leave your lawn alone. If it went brown you will not be able to bring it back. Grass is supposed to go dormant in the summer. The EPA just did a study that proved that the single largest cause of sea level rising is due to the excess use of ground water.
NJarhead
7:42 am on Monday, July 16, 2012
Gary, that's not accurate. A brown lawn WILL come back once watering is reintroduced, provided foot traffic was kept to a minimum during the dry period. Ask any grounds keeper. I'm not sure about your EPA study. Do you have a link?