Georgia Water Restrictions Confuse Contractors

A Metro Atlanta landscape contractor says he's lost more than $1 million in business over the last year thanks to the drought and the confusion over outdoor watering restrictions.

The restrictions are different across the state -- it depends on where you live. And adding to the confusion, they've changed since last fall -- a time when people get out to re-seed and refurbish lawns.

The rain that fell a few weeks ago is long gone -- and lawns are once again showing the stress of this drought. In Atlanta, the outdoor watering restrictions are different from the ones in Cherokee or Henry County. That has caused some confusion. One landscaper says between the drought and the tough economy, he's had to lay off half of his employees.

Sohel Elias should be digging into his busiest and most profitable time of the year. Instead, the owner of Atlantascapes Landscaping is struggling -- like the grass seed on bone dry earth.

Many of his regular customers are holding off on aerating and reseeding. Sohel says most of them are confused over when and how much they can water -- if they can give their grass enough of a drink to keep it alive.

"They keep changing the rules every week," Sohel said. "They turn off the sprinkler system, then they turn back on -- and not to have consistent water rules for everybody..."

Over the past year, his business has gone so dry, he's gone from 55 employees to 20. Providing your lawn with drought relief all depends on where you get your water. The most severe restrictions are on the Metro Atlanta counties who get their water from drought hampered Lake Lanier. For the most part, homeowners in those areas are kept to hand-watering 25 minutes on certain days, at certain hours.

If you've sodded or reseeded your lawn, you can fire up the sprinklers -- but again, there are restrictions on the frequency that are different from a year ago -- and there's an online conservation course you have to take that wasn't required last fall.

"It's been a real difficult adjustment for the landscaping industry -- and our customers because they learn these rules -- that's what used to be the rule, now there's a different rule."

To make up for his lost business, Sohel Elias keeps busy digging wells. If not for that, he might rule out survival.

All of north Georgia is under what called a level four drought -- but when it comes to watering restrictions, there's level four-A, four-B, and four-C. The best advice -- call your local water system or visit their web site so you know the restrictions.