Restricting Water Use in New Jersey

Odd/even watering restrictions put in place during New Jersey’s drought could become permanent fixture for the state’s landscapes and athletic fields, if recently introduced legislation passes.

Introduced Jan. 9 by Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D–Union), Assembly Bill No. 3145 is very comprehensive. Not only does the bill mandate odd/even watering restrictions, it also limits irrigation run times and prohibits irrigation before May 1 and after Sept. 30 of each calendar year. Penalties for violators are to $1,000.

Should the legislation pass, it will go into effect immediately.

The proposed legislation would also do the following:

· Limit the testing of new sprinkler installations to 15 minutes per zone.

· Allow irrigation immediately following a commercial application of fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide. However, certain provisions would apply, such as watering not to exceed 45 minutes per area.

· Allow watering of newly laid sod or grass seed for the first 45 days after planting. However, the legislation would place limits on run times.

· The bill makes no specific mention of golf courses.

This article originally appeared in the January 2003 edition of the Irrigation Association's electronic newsletter.