Bulloch County town shuts down water system, issues boil notice.
BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – The Town of Portal Water System has shut off water to all customers, issuing a boil-water notice for those in the area.
The boil-water notice was sent to customers as a precaution.
According to the Town of Portal Water System, a potential health hazard may exist for those who have experienced water outages or low water pressure.
Before drinking, cooking, or preparing baby food, customers are asked to boil water for at least one minute after reaching a rolling boil.
The Town of Portal Water System urges customers to continue boiling water until they are notified that the water system has been restored to full operation and that water in the distribution is safe to drink.
Officials expect to have sample results of the water by Saturday morning.
Customers can call 912-865-2561 with any concerns.
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DeKalb County reminds residents that drought restrictions are in effect.
“The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management reminds businesses and residents that the county is still under a Level 2 drought response,” the county said in a press release.
More from DeKalb County: Even-numbered addresses and sites with no numbered address may water Wednesdays and Saturdays, while those with odd-numbered addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays.
Watering is only permitted before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
· Irrigation of new and replanted seed, turf or plants for a period of 30 days following installation.
· Watering with drip irrigation or soaker hose.
· Water from private wells and bodies of water on property.
· Hydroseeding.
– Use of fire hydrants, except for the purposes of firefighting, public health, safety or flushing.
– Non-commercial washing, or pressure washing, of buildings or structures, except for immediate fire protection.

5 things to know about mandatory water restrictions and other measures as metro Atlanta remains in a drought.
Georgia officials are pleading with metro Atlanta residents to conserve water heading into the state’s prime summer months, saying they need to be mindful of their usage as the area faces a continuing stubborn drought and Atlanta’s warmest April on record.
Twelve counties remain in a Level 2 drought: Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Paulding and White.
Lake Lanier, which all 12 of those counties depend on as part of their water supply, also remains eight feet below its full water level.
Here’s what you need to know: Residents under Level 2 restrictions have to follow outdoor watering schedules that allow landscape watering up to two days a week, determined by odd and even-numbered addresses.
Even-numbered addresses and properties without numbered addresses may water on Wednesday and Saturday before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Odd-numbered addresses may water Thursday and Sunday before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Other allowable outdoor watering includes for new and replanted plants, seed or turf any time of day for 30 days after planting; personal food gardens any time of day; and drip irrigation, soaker hoses, handheld containers or hand-watering with a hose with automatic cutoff any time of day.
What’s not allowed: Washing hard surfaces such as streets and sidewalks; water for ornamental purposes such as fountains; non-commercial washing of vehicles; non-commercial pressure washing; and fundraising car washes.
While not required, conservation suggestions also include turning off the water while shaving or brushing teeth to save at least 100 gallons a week.
Fix leaky faucets as soon as you notice them.
A leak of 60 drips a minute wastes 192 gallons a month.

Webb Bridge Park Water Quality Enhancement Project Wins 2016 IWRM Award from AWRA.
The American Water Resources Association (AWRA) is pleased to announce that the Webb Bridge Park Water Quality Enhancement Project of the City of Alpharetta, GA, was the 2016 winner of the Association’s prestigious Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Award.
“Alpharetta is excited to learn that our project has been recognized by the American Water Resources Association,” says Jill Bazinet, Senior Stormwater Engineer, City of Alpharetta, Public Works Department.
The city’s response to this inquiry included the formation of a team to address concerns, completion of a drainage study, construction of a number of innovative stormwater measures, and introduction of an education program.
Neighborhood community groups, residents, city staff, scientists, and designers came together to improve the environmental impacts of a large city park on the downstream creeks and ultimately on the recreational lake.
It was not just a stormwater project or a parks project, it was a community project.
By doing this, the resulting projects had wide spread support.
” AWRA also presented several other awards during the November 16th Luncheon, including: Sandor C. Csallany Institutional Award for Exemplary Contributions to Water Resources: Orange County Water District William R. Boggess Award: Joanna Endter-Wada, Enjie Li, Shujuan Li, all with Utah State University, Paper Title: “Characterizing and Contextualizing the Water Challenges of Megacities,” JAWRA 2015 Outstanding AWRA State Section Award: Florida State Section Outstanding AWRA Student Chapter Award: University of Florida Student Chapter Fellow Member Inductees: Carol Collier and Michael Lilly AWRA Awards Each year, the American Water Resources Association gives several awards and scholarships.
Nominations for 2016 will open in the new year.
For more information visit the AWRA Annual Awards page,IWRM Award page, or the AWRA Scholarships page.

Proposed South Hall landfill denied by Buford planning board.
Applause broke out at Buford City Hall as the board voted against Lula resident Glenn Hamilton’s plans for the landfill on McEver Road across from Blackberry Lane.
That meeting is set for 7 p.m. at Buford City Hall, 2300 Buford Highway.
“That is certainly a concern,” Caldwell said.
Sam Baker, transportation planning manager, said in a March 20 email to Buford Planning Director Kim C. Wolfe, that plans call for the eventual widening of McEver Road from Jim Crow Road/Gainesville Street in Flowery Branch to Lanier Islands Parkway/Ga.
347 in Buford.
Applause broke out at Buford City Hall as the board voted against Lula resident Glenn Hamilton’s plans for the landfill on McEver Road across from Blackberry Lane.
That meeting is set for 7 p.m. at Buford City Hall, 2300 Buford Highway.
“That is certainly a concern,” Caldwell said.
347 in Buford.

Residents of two Braselton neighborhoods are asked not to drink their water without boiling it.
The city’s water system lost pressure in the Friendship Road area, creating the potential for fecal contamination.
Clearwater and Reflections neighborhoods are affected.
“These conditions may pose an imminent and substantial health endangerment to persons served by the water system in these two neighborhoods,” according to a news release from Braselton.
Consuming water contaminated with disease-causing organisms can lead to symptoms including diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches.
Residents in these neighborhoods should bring their water to a rolling boil for three minutes before using it to wash dishes, make ice, brush teeth, prepare food or drink.
Residents can use the water to bathe or flush toilets.
Water department employees are working to repair the line and will evaluate water samples for 24 hours after the line is fixed.
Residents of two Braselton neighborhoods are asked not to drink their water without boiling it.
Residents in these neighborhoods should bring their water to a rolling boil for three minutes before using it to wash dishes, make ice, brush teeth, prepare food or drink.

Along with 30 other counties, Newton County, improved from a Level 2 Drought Response to a Level 1 Drought Response.
Requirements under a Level 1 Drought Response include implementing a public information campaign on drought conditions.
Newton County, along with every other county in the state of Georgia, was placed under a Level 1 Drought Response in September (EPD).
While recent rain has brought much-needed water to reservoirs such as Lake Varner, bodies of water in the northern part of Georgia are still recovering, leaving 12 counties in Level 2 Drought Response.
“Winter rains have brought needed relief to much of the state, but Lake Lanier, the Chattahoochee River and smaller streams in the region have been slow to recover,” said EPD Director Richard Dunn.
“In comparison, lakes West Point and Walter F. George downstream from Atlanta are smaller lakes located in larger drainage areas.” During a Level 2 Drought Response, outdoor landscape watering is only allowed two days a week determined by odd and even-numbered addresses.
Prohibited outdoor water uses under a Level 2 Drought Response include: Washing hard surfaces such as streets and sidewalks.
Water for ornamental purposes, such as fountains.
Non-commercial washing of vehicles.
Non-commercial pressure washing.

Gwinnett water officials urging conservation during drought.
The department issued a reminder of Gwinnett’s Level 2 Drought Response status on Friday.
“Lake Lanier is a large reservoir, fed by smaller streams that have been slow to recover from the drought,” water department spokeswoman Karen Shields said in a statement.
The corps’ website for the lake showed the lake’s midnight pool level was 1,060.94 as of Thursday night.
A full Lake Lanier level would be 1,071 feet.
North of Lake Lanier, up around where the Chattahoochee River’s headwaters are located in the north Georgia mountains, extreme drought conditions still exist, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
Because the drought response in place is in place, Shields said residents can’t wash streets, sidewalks or driveways, nor can they use water for decorative fountains or waterfalls, non-commercial pressure washing or non-commercial car washing.
That means car wash fundraisers are a no go as well.
Odd numbered addresses are restricted to before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays.
“The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources encourages residents to make water conservation a priority,” Shields said.