With spring right around the corner the good news for both gardeners and home owners alike is the lessening of watering restrictions Tucker residents have faced since the drought started in 2006.

It was announced on March 3, 2009 that Dekalb County will now allow the use of ’soaker’ hoses for plants. The Department of Watershed Management stressed that “plants” in regards to the new allowance refers to trees, flowers, vines, and shrubs and does not mean lawn grass or turf. Irrigation of personal food gardens remains unrestricted.

Soaker hoses are connected to a typical outdoor faucet and manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants by allowing water to seep from it in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff, and wetting of plant foliage.

Each household, business or property owner may use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water existing landscaping, one hour per day, three days per week, within the hours of 12:00 midnight to 10:00 am as follows: Odd-numbered addresses may water Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays and even-numbered addresses may water Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Details can be found at Dekalb Watershed.

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