New city ordinance puts teeth in water use ban
By KIP BURKE news editor

The lack of water now and the need for water in the future were the top topics Monday night as the Washington City Council put some real teeth into city water use restrictions and took the first steps toward a multi-million-dollar water system rebuild.

Meeting with Mayor Willie Burns, City Administrator Mike Eskew, and City Clerk Debbie Danner, city council members voted unanimously to approve the new city ordinance that bans almost all outdoor water use, with exemptions. (See summary page 10)

The new ordinance also empowers city police, firefighters, and water and sewer department employees to enter properties to inspect for compliance. If the city employee sees a violation, the employee can now ask the homeowner or tenant to immediately stop the prohibited water use.

A second violation, the ordinance says, would get a written warning issued and posted at the property where the violation occurred.

A third or subsequent violation would require an appearance in Municipal Court and could be punished by a fineof up to $1,000.

City Administrator Mike Eskew reviewed the city's position during the current 100-year drought. Although Wilkes County's position is better than other North Georgia counties because it draws from Clarks Hill Lake, he said, the outlook both near term and far is extremely dry. "We need to learn to conserve water, to reuse water, to be very careful with our water, because Clarks Hill could one day drop significantly."

A second piece of business concerning water was also enacted at the meeting. The water works bringing water into the city system is aging, and a proposed multi-million-dollar, multi-year effort to rebuild the city's two pumping stations took a necessary step forward at Monday night's meeting.

After extensive discussion, the council approved a request to initiate the design process for the rehabilitation of the city's water system. The recommended option would include rebuilding the Skull Shoals water plant to maintain the city's 2-million-gallon-a-day withdrawal capacity; and to maintain the water plant at Aonia.

The proposed water project, which could cost some $7 million, would be subject to public hearings early next year once the design stage is underway. No work would start on the water project until 2009, and the city would start paying the debt in 2010, Eskew said.

The city council also heard from Linda Echols of the Area Agency on Aging, who invited those in attendance to come to the agency's December luncheon in Augusta.

Main Street Director David Jenkins reported on the status of several ongoing projects and initiatives.

Tourism Ashley Barnett invited all present to attend the annual Candlelight Shopping in Downtown Washington Tuesday, November 20, and Tuesday, December 3. Barnett also reported that Wilkes County, as part of the Clarks Hill Partnership, is helping sponsor the big national bass tournament at the lake this weekend, and that she is hosting a group of competitors' wives for a shopping trip in Washington.

The Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce is having its annual banquet November 29, said Director Donna Hardy, with a motivational speaker and music by Stan Coe and the Cousins. The Chamber's Legislative Breakfast is planned for December 4, and U.S. Congressman Paul Broun and state legislators are expected to attend.

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