Outdoor sprinklers in Jefferson Township are about to get a strict summer schedule. Jefferson Water & Sewer District has ordered mandatory outdoor watering restrictions starting Friday, May 15, and running through October 15, banning all outdoor irrigation on Mondays and tying watering days to the last digit of each customer’s street address. District leaders say the rules are aimed at protecting local supply capacity as warm-weather demand starts to climb.
How the schedule works
Under the board’s resolution, households with even-numbered addresses can water on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while odd-numbered addresses are limited to Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Outdoor irrigation is off-limits between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and nobody is allowed to water outdoors on Mondays, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Officials say the staggered schedule is meant to spread demand more evenly across the week and to ease peak-hour pressure on pumps and storage tanks.
District background
The Jefferson Water & Sewer District was created in 1987 to serve Jefferson Township and operates out of an office on Taylor Road in Blacklick, according to the district’s website. A five-member board governs the agency, which runs the local treatment plant and distribution system that supplies township customers. Board documents and conservation guidance are posted on the district site as officials work on longer-term infrastructure upgrades.
Plant size and upgrades
According to CORD’s fall 2023 report, the Taylor Road water treatment plant currently handles about 1.73 million gallons per day and is slated for an expansion to roughly 2.2 million gallons per day through an Ohio BUILDS grant. The project is expected to add more filters, a clear well, and a 750,000-gallon elevated tank to boost storage and treatment capacity. Until those upgrades are online, the district is leaning on conservation measures to help carry the system through peak summer demand.
Rules, exceptions and enforcement
The board’s resolution details the permitted watering days and hours, provides a two-week exemption for newly sodded or seeded lawns, and allows daily hand-watering of flowerbeds, vegetable gardens, and hanging pots, per The Columbus Dispatch. First-time violations will earn a written warning, while repeat offenses can trigger fines ranging from $100 to $500. The same resolution also offers a $100 bill credit for customers who buy a rain barrel. District officials told the Dispatch that hookups to the City of Columbus water system will be reserved for emergencies only and that staff is contacting homeowner associations about cutting back on heavy irrigation.
How residents can comply
Customers are urged to double-check their address, schedule lawn irrigation on assigned days, shift watering to early morning or late evening hours, and consider using the rain-barrel credit to trim outdoor water use. The district posts conservation tips and notification sign-up information on its website at Jefferson Water & Sewer District, and residents can call the office at (614) 864-0740 with questions about exemptions or enforcement. Those with newly sodded yards still get a two-week grace period starting on the date of installation.
The new limits kick in on Friday, May 15, so residents who want to avoid fines and keep the taps running smoothly through the hottest months may want to reset those sprinkler timers now.
