Atlanta Home uses 400,000 gals of water last month while in a drought

[jazzyj]

Just watched an update on the local news. He was unaware that he was using too much.. whatevah. He uses all that water on his 5 acre manicured lawn and plants. According to even drought laws, if you have a professionally landscaped yard, you are exempt. This was according to the broadcast. He has agreed and cut his water usage by 70% since last week.

[Twinkletoes]

No, you are not exempt if you have a professionally landscaped lawn.

There are rules in place stating that if you have a professional install new plants or grass, you are allowed to water for 30 days. However, some counties have adopted stricter regulations stating that is not longer allowed.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by jazzyj

Just watched an update on the local news. He was unaware that he was using too much.. whatevah. He uses all that water on his 5 acre manicured lawn and plants. According to even drought laws, if you have a professionally landscaped yard, you are exempt. This was according to the broadcast. He has agreed and cut his water usage by 70% since last week.

Yeah, I don't buy that "I didn't know how bad the drought was" junk. That's all that's been on the news for WEEKS!

Updated story: Cobb Man Used Enough Water For 60 Homes - News Story - WSB Atlanta

[katsarecool]

Originally Posted by wxjay

Well, if he's paying for it, what's the issue here? Look, I think it is ridculous to use that much water too, but in a utility market system, you rectify supply with price. If the city charged the appropriate rates to compensate for supplies, then people would be less likely to hoard or use as much of a particular utility. Unfortunately, this mentality is lost on many for many different commodities (gas, produce, etc.). Many believe they are entitled to such things and should have not have to pay a premium for them.

His behavior is beyond greedy into criminal. I live in the area as well and hear the dreadful water shortage every day. It is very serious.

I cannot for the life of me figure out what he is doing with all that water. He is using enough water for sixty normal homes (with more than one person living in it). He must be doing something illegal with it or hoarding it as someone suggested.

He has cut down the use to the equivalent of 9 households as of last night.

[KevK]

I really suspect that somebody is running a grow operation if they are using that much water. You cannot water outdoors so what else could it be used for? I really think that the police should obtain a warrant and search the place. In fact, anytime that anybody has water or electric consumption that is way over average for the area, the police should get a warrant and search for a grow operation.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Twinkletoes

No, you are not exempt if you have a professionally landscaped lawn.

There are rules in place stating that if you have a professional install new plants or grass, you are allowed to water for 30 days. However, some counties have adopted stricter regulations stating that is not longer allowed.

That should be stopped. What the landscapers are doing is going out and replacing small sections of large lawns and then getting the 30 day exemption and then going out after 30 days and replacing another small section thus allowing another 30 days and on and on. I heard that some of them are replacing as little as a few square feet but continuing to water the whole lawn. These bans are worthless anyway. If they want to get serious about this problem, they would do some new rules like:
1. The average water usage per home is 6000 gallons a month. If you use under 6001 gallons, your bill is what it is now (or even LESS than it is now).
2. If you use over 6001 gallons, your bill per gallon shall be 25 cents for ALL water consumed INCLUDING the first 6000 gallons so the minimum bill would be $2500.25.
3. The bill stays with the property. If you do not pay it in 30 days, your water will be shut off and a lien placed on the property. Water will not be restored until it is paid in full.
4. For the rich, if you use more than 2 times the average 6000 gallons, your water will be shut off for a period of not less than 2 months.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by Twinkletoes

No, you are not exempt if you have a professionally landscaped lawn.

There are rules in place stating that if you have a professional install new plants or grass, you are allowed to water for 30 days. However, some counties have adopted stricter regulations stating that is not longer allowed.

Currently, with the exeption of Douglas County, you can have a 30 day permit exemption if your a developer.

[kagmypts]

Originally Posted by KevK

That should be stopped. What the landscapers are doing is going out and replacing small sections of large lawns and then getting the 30 day exemption and then going out after 30 days and replacing another small section thus allowing another 30 days and on and on. I heard that some of them are replacing as little as a few square feet but continuing to water the whole lawn. These bans are worthless anyway. If they want to get serious about this problem, they would do some new rules like:
1. The average water usage per home is 6000 gallons a month. If you use under 6001 gallons, your bill is what it is now (or even LESS than it is now).
2. If you use over 6001 gallons, your bill per gallon shall be 25 cents for ALL water consumed INCLUDING the first 6000 gallons so the minimum bill would be $2500.25.
3. The bill stays with the property. If you do not pay it in 30 days, your water will be shut off and a lien placed on the property. Water will not be restored until it is paid in full.
4. For the rich, if you use more than 2 times the average 6000 gallons, your water will be shut off for a period of not less than 2 months.

Are you kidding me? If not, try to moving to a Communist country. They can regulate everyone's water usuage very nicely for you! Also, the whole point of "average" consumption is that about half the people use below the average with the other half using above the average (I know that this statement is not exactly true as we are talking about the average, not the mean - it just makes it easier to make my point). Are you really suggesting that 50% of the Atlanta population have a water bill of $2,500 or have no water at all (because they cannot afford their bill and it completely shut off)?