Residents at Atlanta-area Monte Hewett Homes communities may worry about how to stay cool in the high temperatures and humid weather, but they will not have to worry about when to water their yards.

Several Metro Atlanta counties face water restrictions due to a Level 2 drought response. Although it seems to have rained constantly this summer, the storms have been localized, and have not landed enough in Lake Lanier, which supplies 70 percent of Metro Atlanta’s water, said Glenn Page, general manager of the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority. “Unless you get the rain falling in the right place, it doesn’t get into Lake Lanier.”

Currently, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Forsyth, Fulton, Hall and Paulding counties face water restrictions due to a Level 2 drought. Under these restrictions, outdoor landscape watering is only permitted two days per week between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Even-numbered address and properties without numbered addresses may water on Wednesday and Saturday and odd-numbered addresses may water Thursday and Sunday.

Additionally, the following uses of outdoor water are prohibited under Level 2 restrictions, according to www.NorthGeorgiaWater.org:

• Washing streets, gutters, sidewalks and driveways
• Ornamental uses, such as fountains and waterfalls
• Use of fire hydrants, except for the purpose of firefighting, public health, safety or flushing
• Washing vehicles (cars, boats, etc.) at home
• Non-commercial washing or pressure washing
• Charity, or non-commercial fundraiser, car washes

The restrictions can be difficult to keep up with, but fortunately for Monte Hewett Homes residents, low-maintenance living and HOA-maintained landscaping allow residents to let someone else worry about water restrictions. Avalon, The Park at Historic Roswell, Landen Pine and St. Andrews offer this ease of living near some of Atlanta’s most coveted scenes, so that families can spend their energy choosing one of the many options nearby to spend time together and not fretting over wasting outdoor water.

For more information on saving water, visit My Drop Counts, an initiative to conserve water by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. To learn more about living at a low-maintenance Monte Hewett Homes community, visit www.MonteHewettHomes.com to view available opportunities, amenities, floorplans and more.