Gov. Easley: Water conservation pricing structures should be considered
-Click here for the Governor's official press release
December 20, 2007 -- Gov. Mike Easley stated that because of the ongoing
drought, water customers may need to pay more for the water they use, and
that it is every citizen's patriotic duty to try to conserve water during
this time.
"We are anticipating a very dry winter, and so far it has gone in that direction," Easley told members of the Drought Advisory Council and guests in Raleigh.
"Parents, talk to your children. … They have a patriotic duty to make sure that they keep their state healthy and safe and you cannot do that without a good water supply.
"I hate to bring bad news," Easley said, just days before Christmas. The silver lining, however, is that "this is a very manageable problem."
Back in mid-October, Easley had asked citizens and water systems to cut back water use by 50 percent. Two weeks later, that reduction had reached 30 percent. Since then, however, that number has dropped to 26.8 percent.
"People slipped a little bit."
That's why pricing structures should be contemplated. However, Easley understands that the way local governments charge for water differ from one jurisdiction to another and that pricing should be determined by each individual local government for its specific situation.
The governor also stated that the state drought website, www.ncdrought.org, has been changed to show the increases and decreases in the various water supplies in the water systems across North Carolina.
"Keep in mind, all are not alike and it's easier for some to cut than others," he said.
Also, the 30 or so Tier 1 cities will meet in Greensboro on January 14 for a special meeting, the purpose of which is to:
-Make sure those cities and towns have interconnectivity
-Know how to stop water leakage
-Have a backup water source
-And have an emergency plan in place.
"We're not asking much," said Easley. "We want to manage it in the spirit of cooperation."
Also, Easley charged the Drought Management Advisory Council to provide him with a regular detailed assessment of the progress of the drought should he need to exercise his emergency powers.
These conservation measures should not just be for the short-term.
"Almost anything we're looking at in this drought shoudl be considered long-term," he said, "including the price structure."
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