METCOM Announces Level I Water Restrictions; County Commissioners Urge All to Minimize Outdoor Water Usage.
The St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners urges all citizens to follow the mandated water restrictions set by the Metropolitan Commission Tuesday for its customers and to exercise extreme caution when burning outdoors.
METCOM instituted restrictions as a result of recent and continued drought conditions and drastic increases in water usage.
All are strongly encouraged to minimize water use along with METCOM public water customers.
The METCOM restrictions include outdoor watering only between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.; personal supervision of irrigation to eliminate run-off or excessive watering; elimination of washing of paved surfaces except when pre-washing is required for asphalt street or driveway recoating and sealing, when sanitation or public health purposes override the elimination and to maintain dust control during road construction.
In addition, water used for washing or cleaning of mobile equipment should only be used in commercial car washes (these businesses recycle the water) or to preserve the safe operation of construction, commercial, emergency and public transportation vehicles. Once a week washing of privately owned vehicles is allowed with an automatic shut-off nozzle and fundraising car washes are still permitted.
The current METCOM restrictions do not place a limitation on filling pools. The Commissioners urge all citizens to conserve water during this prolonged drought. Water is a precious resource that is often unnecessarily wasted.
While Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources has not declared an outdoor burning ban, no outdoor burning permits are being allowed and all citizens are asked to use extreme caution when burning.