The water use ban in Howard County is lifted, even though the eroding water main has not been fixed.
“We don?t have our summer peak demand where you have an abundance of residential [water use] coupled with a large amount of water being consumed by commercial air conditioners,” said Robert Beringer, chief of the county?s Bureau of Utilities.
However, if the repairs to the 54-inch water main in Baltimore County are delayed into next spring, Howard County may have to reinstitute the ban next year, said Jim Irvin, director of Howard County?s Department of Public Works.
The pipe, which is the second largest main and provides a large amount of drinking water to Howard and Anne Arundel counties, is corroding and breaking, he said.
Howard County Executive Jim Robey instituted the water limits in June to ensure appropriate water supply for fighting fires, but the pipes can handle the current demand for residential use and fire protection, officials said.
In the meantime, residents are free to water their lawns.
“The weather has changed and outside water-use potential is drastically reduced,” Irvin said.
“People don?t water their lawn after Labor Day usually.”
Most residents complied with the mandatory restrictions, Beringer said.
No residents were fined, but fewer than a dozen commercial contractors were given $500 fines for filling pools or water tanks, he said.
