Level Four Outdoor Water Use Restrictions Update
Posted:  Monday, March 31, 2008

Beginning April 1, 2008, City residents will be able use water outdoors.  Each household, business, or other institution / property owner will be allowed to hand water existing landscaping using one garden hose, 25 minutes a day, within the hours of 12:00 midnight to 10:00 AM, on designated days.  The hose must be hand held during watering and equipped with a standard spray nozzle that automatically turns off when not hand held.

Odd-numbered addresses may hand water Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.  Even-numbered addresses may hand water Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Click here to read the complete outdoor water use restrictions update.

Humphries Hill Road Intersection Improvements Begin
Posted:  Friday, February 29, 2008

Motorists traveling along C.H. James Parkway and Humphries Hill Road will notice that construction has already began.  Intersection improvements will involve adding right and left turn lanes on Humphries Hill Road.

This project is funded through the Cobb County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax program.

The biggest water user in the home is the toilet.  More than 45 percent of indoor water used is flushed down the drain every day.  Austell Public Works is introducing a toilet retrofit rebate program to provide an incentive for customers in homes built prior to 1993 to retrofit older hi-flow toilets with new low-flow technology.  Customers will be eligible to receive rebates for up to three toilets per home for purchases made beginning November 5, 2007.

The program has two rebate options.  The first is a $50.00 rebate for the purchase of any approved 1.6 gallon per flush toilet on the approved toilet list.  These toilets were chosen because they have been tested and proven as a quality product by an independent testing lab.  Also, they have been shown to provide a sustained water savings over time.  The $50.00 rebate list will be updated every year, coinciding with annual Maximum Performance Testing.

The second program option is a $100.00 rebate for high efficiency toilets.  These toilets use 1.2 gallons per flush and have received the WaterSense labeling certification.  WaterSense is the Environmental Protection Agency's labeling program for water efficiency.  It is modeled after the Energy Star program and WaterSense toilets will have the logo on the product.  This list be updated quarterly as WaterSense adds newly qualified products.

The rebate will appear as a credit on the customers water bill.  Customers must purchase a toilet from the approved list, submit the original receipt to the water efficiency office, and, after verifying the eligibility of the toilet and the age of the home, a credit will be issued to the customers account.  Program funds have been capped and rebates will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis depending on fund availability.

For more information on the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program, click here.

As the weather changes in November, some Georgians get out and enjoy the cooler temperatures. Why not take advantage of the weather and give container gardening a try this season? We have some great suggestions about how to select a plant, choose a pot, get the best soil, and water your plants appropriately. [Read More]

On October 23, 2007, Governor Sonny Perdue mandated that water use in North Georgia be reduced to a level equivalent to 90% of the average use for the months of December 2006 through March 2007.

As the City of Austell recognizes the need during this historic drought to preserve our water resources, several actions have been taken by City departments including limitations on fire flow testing, total ban on outdoor irrigation, and retrofitting restrooms with low-flow devices.  The City of Austell will also examine water use within City buildings to determine potential savings.

The Drought Response Plan to serve as the basis for the City of Austell’s efforts to comply with the Governor’s recent mandate.  As the current drought is a changing situation and the seasons greatly impact water use and commercial needs, the City of Austell will revisit the existing Drought Plan in early spring or as deemed necessary due to the additional state direction or other changing conditions.

To read the Drought Response Plan in its entirety and to see how it will affect you, click here.

Free Water Conservation Kits Available to City of Austell Customers
Posted:  Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Austell Public Works is pleased to offer household water conservation kits for our customers.  The kits contain water-conserving decides which are easy to install for immediate savings.  The kit contains:

Additional brochures and information is available on how to conserve water.

To obtain your free kit, please visit our office at the City of Austell Threadmill Complex located at 5000 Austell-Powder Springs Road, Suite 101, Austell.

Missed Recycling?
Allied Waste (formerly known as BFI) has established a recycling hotline for residents to call when their recycling has been missed.  For expedited service, residents are encouraged to call the hotline first at (404) 794-1145.