Water use restrictions tightened

ATHENS - Despite rains of as much as 5 inches in recent weeks, the water source for four northeast Georgia counties has dropped to 70 percent of full pool, triggering tougher outdoor water use restrictions.

Those tightened restrictions are automatically triggered once the level of the reservoir, which serves Athens-Clarke, Oconee, Barrow and Jackson counties, reaches a certain level.

Accordingly, people with odd-number addresses are allowed to water by hand for 25 minutes before 10 a.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even addresses can water on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays with the same time restrictions. No watering is allowed on Fridays.