As worst drought on record continues, cities and towns push conservation
-Drought Monitor update from November 8
-Durham schoolchildren pledge to cut water use

By Matt Lail

It's official: North Carolina is suffering through the worst drought on record.

 

Water supplies continue to inch toward record lows statewide because of a significant lack of rainfall this year. To combat this, Gov. Mike Easley stressed to municipal officials the need to cut water use by 50 percent, despite the tough choices and hard work of many communities across the state. That means eliminating yard irrigation, washing cars or any other non-essential water use.

 

“We need every single community and every single citizen in North Carolina now doing everything they can to save every drop of water they can," Easley told municipal officials at the N.C. League of Municipalities' annual conference on Monday, October 15 in Fayetteville . "A dirty car is a sign of civic responsibility nowadays."

 

Citizens across the state were asked to shorten their showers, to run dishwashers and washing machines only when full, turn off water while brushing teeth and to flush toilets only when necessary, among other things.

 

Easley's “Operation Halve It” campaign was aimed at reducing water usage by 50 percent from mid-October to Halloween. Water systems were asked to report weekly usage numbers to the governor, via the Division of Water Quality's website.

 

Those water systems heeded the call, even though the 50-percent number was not reached. Water usage among the state's 25 largest water systems was down by nearly 30 percent from August compared to the last week of October. Those systems represent about 72 percent of the 6.8 million customers served by public water systems.

 

“My goal was lofty,” Easley said in a November 8 press release, “but all citizens must cut water use as much as they can. Given the situation nearly all of North Carolina faces, we cannot afford to do any less.”

 

A look at the water-use numbers from water systems with 40,000 or more customers from August to mid-October show some drastic reductions. Wilmington's usage (125,000 customers) was down a whopping 42.5 percent; Charlotte-Mecklenburg's usage (700,000 customers) was down almost 37 percent; Cary's 124,000 customers had reduced usage by 36 percent; Raleigh by 33 percent; Concord by 30 percent; and Salisbury by 28 percent, just to name a few. (The leader out of the clubhouse was Union County , which almost met the Governor's call with a reduction of 47 percent.)

 

“The citizens of our cities & towns have gotten the message and taken it to heart, and they are using less water,” said Ellis Hankins, the League's executive director. “People are acting responsibly, and that is exactly what we need to get through this drought.”

 

Cities and towns are doing what they can to make sure citizens are getting the message. According to published reports, the town of Cary issued more than 50 violation notices on the first day that automatic irrigation sprinklers were banned. (The restrictions cut water use by 2 million gallons on that first day, November 1.) And The Charlotte Observer reported on October 30 that Charlotte-Mecklenburg's utility hotline had already received some 13,000 calls from neighbors snitching on others who aren't following the rules.

 

“The people violating the restrictions are doing it not out of ignorance,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities spokesman Vic Simpson told the newspaper. “The goal is not to see how many tickets we can write up, but to get water usage down.”

 

Some towns with an ample supply of water, like Benson, have begun studying conservation in an attempt to be good stewards and as a sign of solidarity with those communities that are less fortunate. Even some school children are getting the message and are pledging – literally – to practice water conservation (see sidebar). Some cities and towns have also begun considering changing the way they charge for water. But many of the communities that are having success at lowering their water usage are those that have been active from the start.

 

“[The drought in] 2002 taught everyone to be more conservative about when we start acting,” said Leila Goodwin, the town of Cary 's water resources manager. “We learned that coordination worked.”

 

Cary , for instance, has kept year-round, alternate-day lawn watering restrictions in place since the 2002 drought. (The town has since instituted a temporary ban on automated outdoor watering.) That, according to Goodwin, is the town's long-term conservation plan. Cary also has short-term water use reduction plan “for times like a drought.” The town is constantly educating citizens and school kids about water conservation and residents can purchase low-cost rain barrels from the town. But – if necessary – Cary will use regulations and fines.

 

“We don't necessarily want their money,” said Goodwin. “We want them to fix their system.”

 

Some of the state got some much-needed rain in the weeks following Easley's appearance at the league conference. That rain helped – if temporarily – to recharge some of the state's water sources. Some communities that were in dire straits, such as Rocky Mount and Siler City , were ecstatic to see the wet stuff.

 

Unfortunately, weeks of dry weather followed the late-October rains; not as many counties are listed under “exceptional” drought status as back in mid-October, but the numbers are creeping back up (see the drought statistics box) right before what is normally a dry part of the year.

 

“Don't spend the rain,” was Easley's message following the October rainfall.

 

The governor stated that local governments are best served at making decisions regarding conservation measures and, if need be, moratoriums on development.

 

“I like municipalities making those recommendations.”

 

But he stressed that public water systems have to be more diligent in working together in providing each other with water.

 

“We're trying to connect every city with another city, every system with another system, for long-term solutions.”

 

Another problem, according to Easley, is leakage in water systems, “especially in some of our smaller cities.” Easley stated that leakage can be as high as 25 percent, though that number could be much lower.

 

Of course, interconnectivity and infrastructure repairs for water systems comes with a price, and public water systems are already stretched thin. The governor stated in an October 30 press conference that it will be up to the General Assembly to make a decision about who will pick up the tab on local water system infrastructure improvements.

 

“For the long term, our cities and towns will need to explore more effective ways to encourage citizens to conserve water, along with more widespread water reclamation and reuse,” said Hankins.

 

Even if more rains comes this fall and winter, communities must be diligent in conserving water or the state's water systems will be in the same situation come spring and summer.

 

“A lot of work in 2002 took root,” said Gary Hunt with the N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention. “A lot of it didn't.” He added that cities must have year-round programs. “It can't just be in response to a drought.”

 

“We need to be efficient 24-7,” state drought advisory council chair Woody Yonts told about 80 attendees at a regional drought meeting in Raleigh on October 30. “We've got to. We can't let [a little bit of] rain divert our route.”

 

Presentations from the three regional drought meetings are available at http://p2pays.org/water/Presentations.asp .

 

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Drought update for November 8, based on November 6 numbers

Counties under Exceptional drought conditions: 25

Counties under Extreme drought conditions: 33

Counties under Severe drought conditions: 34

Counties under Moderate drought conditions: 8

 

Water Use Restrictions

Not restricted: 299 systems or 1.4 million population

Voluntary: 162 systems or 1.5 million population

Mandatory: 154 systems or 3.7 million population

 

 

Drought Update for Nov. 1, based on Oct. 30 numbers

Exceptional: 22

Extreme: 30

Severe: 30

Moderate: 18

 

Water Use Restrictions

Not restricted: 299 or 1.4 million

Voluntary: 164 or 1.6 million

Mandatory: 150 or 3.7 million

 

 

Drought Update for October 23

Exceptional: 72

Extreme: 17

Severe: 11

Moderate: 0

 

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Durham schoolchildren pledge to save water

The city of Durham called upon middle and elementary students throughout the Durham Public Schools for their help teaching citizens about the importance of water conservation.

 

“When our children are shown that something like the drought we are experiencing really does affect them, they are anxious to learn about it and do what they can to help,” said City Manager Patrick Baker . “These students will then take that information home and share it with their families. It is a great thing to be able to teach children at a young age about conservation.”

 

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007, students throughout the middle and elementary schools were led through a special “Water – Use It Wisely” conservation pledge during their morning announcements. The students then took time during the week to learn about the drought conditions that Durham and all of North Carolina faces and conservation measures that can reduce water use. The city's department of water management worked closely with school officials to provide information on the area's drought conditions and the many ways that citizens can reduce water consumption.

 

At Forest View Elementary, Baker himself was tabbed to lead the conservation pledge with a second grade class that has shown a particular interest in water conservation during the school's morning news show that is broadcast throughout the school. 

 

The pledge taken was:

“I understand that water is our most precious natural resource and that during a drought, everyone should do their part to make sure there is enough water for all. 

 

“I pledge to always use water wisely by taking shorter showers, turning the water off whenever possible, and never wasting water. 

 

“I pledge to do all that I can around my house and my school to preserve and conserve water and to share what I know with family and friends because there are a number of ways to save water and they all start with me.”

 

“Durham Public Schools takes very seriously the conditions wrought by the recent drought,” said Superintendent Carl Harris. “In addition to district-wide measures to conserve water, we welcome the city of Durham 's support in making this a ‘teachable moment' for our students.”

(These articles originally appeared in the November 2007 issue of Southern City.)