Fill the pools and grow the plants. With one major change —- watering hours —- from the latest state plan for saving water, the Cobb County Commission Tuesday night approved a local approach that eases the tight restrictions of the past five months and temporarily lifts the ban on backyard burning until May 1. The new rules:

BEGINNING SATURDAY

> Residents can hand-water landscaping by using a hose with a shutoff valve for 25 minutes on an odd-even schedule based on street address. Watering times are 4- 9 a.m. Even and unnumbered addresses may water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. No watering is permitted on Friday, regardless of your address.

> Rates for irrigation-only water accounts rise to the most expensive tier: $5.40 per thousand gallons, from $3.52 per thousand gallons.

> Fines go into effect for wasting water, such as by having a broken irrigation system, allowing excessive water to run off property or leaving a hose unattended without a shutoff nozzle. Fine for the second offense is $100; fines for any offense after that are $500.

> Backyard burning, which requires keeping a water hose nearby to control the fire, will be permitted until the state's regular summer ban returns May 1.

BEGINNING APRIL 1

> Public and private pools can be filled with municipal water and topped off as needed. Pools should not be drained for cleaning and maintenance.

> New landscaping, excluding aeration and over-seeding, may be watered for 10 weeks on the odd/even schedule if the user is enrolled in an online water conservation class to earn the landscape exemption.

> Irrigation systems may be used on newly installed landscaping only between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m.

> Only one new landscape exemption will be permitted per planting season (April-August or September-March) per residence.

> New homes will have 10 weeks to water newly installed landscape on the odd/even schedule.

COMMERCIAL USERS

As of Saturday, users will have a water allowance of 90 percent of last year's peak average (April-September 2007), under the same approach the county used for December-March. The 10 percent decrease requirement includes businesses, institutions, multifamily developments and schools. Car washes with a recycling system are exempt.

CAR WASHES

Washing at commercial lots is permitted only if there is a water recycling system. Mobile detailing is permitted, but reasonable care should be taken to limit water use. The property owner who allows the detail company to use water is subject to the 90 percent water-reduction requirement.

PRESSURE WASHING

Permitted only by a licensed professional when required prior to a procedure such as painting, staining, or sealing; also permitted for health and safety reasons. Not permitted for aesthetics.