Pools, plants and holiday parties are some of the casualties of this weekend's restrictions on water usage.
As repair work continues on a faulty 96-inch water main in Potomac, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission customers are finding ways to cope with the restrictions.
For Bethesda resident Jonathan Rice, the restrictions mean his hot tub won't be used at his family's Independence Day gathering. Rice said he doesn't mind conserving water, but the restrictions have disrupted holiday plans.
"I know lots of friends who wanted to have pool parties," he said. "It does put a little damper on the weekend."
The WSSC limited the ways customers could use water Thursday after work began on a failing section of the aging water pipe. Repairs are slated to be complete Monday. Those who ignore the limitations can be fined up to $500.
Pools, nurseries and other businesses have also been affected by the restrictions, which include a ban on outside water use and limiting inside use by taking shorter showers and not flushing toilets after every use.
The indoor pool at Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center closed Saturday afternoon until further notice. Officials said they're not sure whether other pools will close.
The Montgomery County Recreation Department cleaned its filters before the restrictions went into effect, Aquatics Manager Doug Fox said, in hopes of not needing to do so again until the restrictions are lifted.
Josh Gordon, pool operator at Silver Spring's Martin Luther King Jr. Pool, vowed not to top off during the weekend but said the water level could become an issue with the holiday crowd.
"Hopefully we'll be all right," he said. "It's hard to say."
The restrictions, coming after a June heat wave, could also be tough for those with green thumbs.
Steve Dubik, head of landscaping technology at Montgomery College, said the weekend would likely mark the final days for some vegetable gardens.
"It wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't already so dry," he said. "If you haven't been keeping up with your watering, it'll be a rough weekend."
Orion Taylor, assistant manager at Behnke Nurseries in Potomac, said the business had turned off its irrigation system and was hand-watering the plants that are especially vulnerable.
So far, however, the efforts to save water have not been enough, the commission said.
WSSC officials said Saturday water usage had dropped just 8.5 percent, far short of their goal of 30 percent.
Staff writer Brian Hughes contributed to this report.