As of Thursday, June 7, 2007, the Birmingham Water Works has now entered Stage Three of its Drought Management Plan due to a continued lack of rainfall, increased water usage and low lake levels.
 
Watering guidelines are no longer voluntary but mandatory. Surcharges are also being implemented for excessive water use.  The Drought Warning Stage indicates that severe drought conditions exist and voluntary measures described in Stage One and Stage 2 have not sufficiently reduced system demands.
 
Stage Three Drought Guidelines
 
 
Addresses ending in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) are to hand water established lawns and landscaping on Mondays and Thursdays.  
 
 
Addresses ending in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) are to hand water established lawns and landscaping on Tuesdays and Fridays.  
 
 
No watering is permitted on Wednesdays, Saturdays or Sundays, and no watering is allowed between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.
 
 
New lawns and landscaping are exempt from the day of the week restrictions for the first twenty (20) days after installation; however, such watering shall be limited to the minimum necessary and shall not be conducted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. After the first twenty (20) days, hand watering is allowed two days per week. Addresses ending in an even number should hand water new lawns and landscaping on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and addresses ending in an odd number should hand water on Wednesdays and Sundays during the hours listed above. After the 20th day, hand watering should be in accordance with the preceding requirement. Documentation to verify the date of planting shall be made available upon request.
 
 
Hand watering for the purpose of watering in insecticides, fungicides and herbicides where such watering is required by the manufacturer or by federal, state or local law shall be coordinated with the schedule above for established lawns, and hand watering shall not be conducted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.  
 
 
Washing personal automobiles, trucks, trailers, mobile homes, campers, boats or other type motor vehicle or equipment shall be suspended. The washing of non-emergency vehicles except by businesses engaged exclusively in car washing shall be suspended.    
 
 
The use of fire hydrants for any purpose except for fire fighting or flushing sewers for health protection purposes shall be suspended.
 
 
The watering of any portion of golf courses except for tees and greens shall be suspended. The watering of tees and greens is allowed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Hand syringing is permitted for no more than 5 minutes per green on other days of the week when ambient temperature is equal to or greater than 94 degrees.  
 
 
Commercial nurseries are exempt from day of the week watering but shall restrict water use to the minimum amount necessary to maintain plants and refrain from watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
 
 
Newly constructed or existing public and private swimming pools, which include outdoor hot tubs, spas and Jacuzzis, may be filled once upon completion. A one-time draining and subsequent re-filling of swimming pools is allowed only for repairs if conditions threaten the integrity of the pool and/or its supporting infrastructure.