Rocky Mount, N.C. — Rocky Mount plans to enforce tougher water restrictions that are mandatory for both residential and commercial customers amid a continuing water shortage and parching drought.

Stage II water restrictions will be implemented on Monday for residential, nonresidential and resale customers. Certain other restrictions for businesses go into effect on Monday, Oct. 1.

Officials based their decision on the level of the Tar River Reservoir, which has dropped, City Manager Stephen W. Raper said.

The reservoir is at 110 feet, or 15 feet below the top of the dam. Area rainfall is also 15 inches below the annual average.

From Monday, water restrictions will limit:

• Irrigating and watering lawns, grass, shrubbery, trees, flowers and gardens to between 5 and 8 p.m. by hand-held hose, containers or drip irrigation systems as follows:
  
  • property east of Wesleyan Boulevard/U.S. 301 on Saturday
  • property west of Wesleyan Boulevard/U.S. 301 on Sunday.
• Filling or refilling any swimming or wading pool and all other water-holding structures is prohibited.

From Oct. 1, Rocky Mount will also require:

• Large water users (those using 10,000 gallons or more per day) must reduce water consumption by 10 percent. Hospitals, medical offices and clinics are exempted.
• Commercial car washes that do not recycle at least 50 percent of their water may open on Saturday and Sunday only. All approved recycling car wash facilities may remain open until further notice.

Residential and commercial customers will get a warning for the first violation, and then increasing fines for second and third offenses. Water service will be terminated at a fourth violation and restored at the discretion of the city manager.

For  a fifth violation, the city will cut off a user's service until the end of the water shortage.

Large water users will also get a first-time warning, but then face steeper fines: up to $5,000.

For more information about Rocky Mount water restrictions, go to the city's Web site.