Raleigh rolls back water restrictions

RALEIGH -- The city of Raleigh officially loosened its water restrictions this morning, but officials vowed there would be no return to the free-wheeling days of yesteryear.

"We're not going back to all-day, any-day watering," Mayor Charles Meeker said at a press conference announcing a return to Stage 1 restrictions.

The Stage 1 rules allow residents to water once a week during select hours of the day. Residents can wash their cars and power wash their homes only on Saturday and Sunday. Violators of the Stage 1 rules face an initial $200 fine and a $1,000 fine for a second violation.

A third violation results in a customer's water service being cut off.

The Stage 1 rules place no restrictions on professional power washers or car washes, nor do they limit developers from using city water to test new water connections.

Also today, Johnston County lifted its water restrictions, effective immediately. The County Board of Commissioners voted to revise the current watering rules allowing odd number residents to water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Even numbered residents can water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The Commissioners said that voluntary conservation practices are encouraged for all other uses of water.

Going forward, Meeker said, that Raleigh will focus on a range of permanent conservation measures, including continuing to encourage the installation of low-flow devices and the eventual adoption of tiered water rates.

"We're going to be conserving water all the time and not just during a drought," Meeker said.

City officials plan to review Raleigh's existing stages of water restrictions. A number of residents and business owners criticized the stages as being unfair. Meeker said he hopes the City Council can complete a review of the stages by July 1.

Meeker said he will also ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to raise the level of Falls Lake by 2 feet to 253.5 feet during times when flooding is not a major concern. Such a change would likely require the Corps to conduct a formal study, though Meeker said this morning he wants the Corps to consider making the change before such a study is complete.