Outdoor Watering Restrictions Extended to All of Georgia

On June 1, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed the Georgia Water Stewardship Act, extending the water restrictions Gwinnett home owners have long enjoyed to the rest of the state. The new law of the land will require homeowners to limit their landscape watering to some time between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. (Anytime is fine for watering a vegetable garden, but smart gardeners will still choose early mornings and evenings to avoid losing water to evaporation.) But that’s not all. Beginning in July 2012, water-saving plumbing fixtures will be required in every Gwinnett new home (and other new homes throughout the state, for that matter).

With all the talk about water stewardship, it may be time to look into ways to conserve in other areas, too. And in these penny-pinching times, it’s refreshing to learn that many practices that conserve natural resources also conserve dollars.

Ilyce Glink, nationally-syndicated columnist, bestselling real estate book author and Newstalk 750 WSB radio talk show host, profiled several gadgets that pass the environmental and pocketbook tests in a recent post about New Home Tech Toys on the Equifax Personal Finance Blog. One of her picks is a programmable sprinkler timer, which allows you automate the timing of your watering with simple garden hoses – no need for expensive irrigation systems. With just a $50 investment, you can save money, became a good steward of Georgia’s water resources, and make sure you’re in step with the new law all at the same time. Check it out!

Contact Bowen Family Homes for information about how your new home can help save water.