Georga entering new area in water restrictions

[donsu]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2007/10/14/waterwoes_1015.html?cxntnid=amn101507e


Water may be more limited
Georgia considering options almost unheard of for metro areas. Environmental director must send Perdue choices within two weeks.


If Georgia orders watering restrictions in metro Atlanta beyond the current outdoor ban, it will be taking drought-fighting steps that not even arid Southern California or Las Vegas has had to make.

-snip-

Within two weeks, Georgia Environmental Protection Division director Carol Couch is expected to send Gov. Sonny Perdue options to tighten water restrictions.

Couch has authority to limit water use as necessary with as little as five days' notice.

-snip-

However, there's little experience in how to impose limits beyond an outdoor watering ban.

-snip-

But water watchers such as Wilhite, the University of Nebraska drought expert who is sometimes referred to as "Dr. Drought," predict that more big metro areas in the East will face predicaments like Atlanta's.

-snip-

Pete Frost said another possibility is routing the treated flows from sewage plants into the authority's drinking water reservoir. That would require state approval in addition to facing public relations challenges, he said.
-----------------------------


here is this hugh city running out of water and they fear to do what needs to be done.

do all the citizens of Atlanta KNOW the water is running out in 100 or so days?

hard choices need to be made today.

[kdmorris]

1. My corporate home office is in Atlanta

And I talk to people who work there all the time.

Yes, they know. The ones I've talked to are doing what they can, including taking very short showers and only washing clothes when absolutely necessary.

What do you think needs to be done? Why do you say they fear "what needs to be done"? Seems to me like they can't possibly restrict the water supply more than it is now. There is no outdoor watering, ever, at any time, not even to rinse your shoes off or wash your car. I think of everyone, THEY are aware just how dire the situation is. THIS is also what happens when no tropical systems bring rain to the east coast.

And it's a "huge city", not a "hugh city".

[donsu]

4. why so hostile? lots more restrictions can be done

I'll give myself 50 lashes with a wet noodle for the spelling error

[Theres-a]

7. 1!1!

Hugh is perfectly acceptable!1;)

[kdmorris]

8. I wasn't trying to be hostile!

I was asking you what more you thought could be done. You said they were afraid to do what needed to be done, but I don't understand that. And kind of explaining that all the people I've talked to in Atlanta are really suffering under the drought. You seemed to imply that they weren't aware, but I wasn't sure if you meant the government or the people.

Sorry, I really wasn't feeling hostile when I wrote it. I apologize for that.

[donsu]

12. Ok, thanks - a big PR campaign needs to go on telling the

people the facts of life concerning: to have water or to not have water.

since a cop can't be in every household to monitor water use. PR has to get the seriousness of the situation to the people.

the PR should list the many ways water can be saved.

and talk about rain retrieval for whenever or if ever it rains.

[kdmorris]

15. Well, I think that they have done that much

I know that there was a ton of criticism when Stone Mountain Park was going to use a million gallons of water to make a snow mountain and everybody is taking showers with a cup of water. The intense criticism did shut them down.

Of course, not everyone is following the rules, either. There are people who say "Fuck it, as long as I get some, who cares". When South Florida was in the severe drought at the beginning of this year, most people did what needed to be done. There was always the cheaters, though and they really just went with "fuck off" if you tried to talk to them.

And yeah, talking about rain retrieval is kind of stupid when there is no rain in sight.

[Bandit]

10. Is water metered there?

If it is metered as in most cities then all they have to do is raise the rates way up until people can not afford to use water. Certain levels of income should be somewhat exempt though..Or certain amounts of water free and then any overages at a very high rate..:shrug:

[kdmorris]

13. From what I understand, yes, in some areas it is metered

In those areas, it's one price up to a certain amount (I THINK 750 gallons) then double that for water used over that. Of course, that mainly hurts people who have large numbers of people living under one roof.

I think someone who's actually from Atlanta can answer better.

[RebelOne]

20. I live in Woodstock just northwest of Atlanta.

And the water here is metered. You pay one price up to so many gallons, then it goes up according to usage.

[kdmorris]

26. That's what I thought.

It's the same here in South Florida. I just didn't want to state it as a fact when I wasn't really sure.

[BronxBoy]

23. I beg to differ

I live about 30 minutes Northeast of Atlanta and, quite frankly, there is a lot more that they can do. Let's think about this for a second: A major American city is 90 days from running out of its water supply and I don't think a lot of people really knew how close we were o the precipe. I know I didn't. Most everyone knew we were in serious drought conditions but saying we are in a severe drought is a hell of a lot different from saying "We are going to run out of water in 3 months"

So we are potentially 90 days away from exhausting our water supply and It's going to take the EPD Director 2 weeks just to send the Governor options on what to do. HELLO! If we don't get needed rain and the odds aren't good that we will, we'll be closer to having a 2 months supply and not a 3 month supply.

As many Georgia Duers have pointed out there are a lot of different causes for where we find ourselves in this water situation. What I'd like to know is how a major American city comes within 90 days of exhausting its water supply and then has to make up a plan on the fly?

[kdmorris]

29. I wasn't saying there was nothing more to do

I was asking what the OP thought needed to happen. He/she was stated that "they are afraid to do what must be done". But who's afraid of doing what? That was what I was trying to figure out.

And that's a good question. I don't know the answer. We (in South Florida) finally got some rain, but we are still under water restrictions (not nearly as severe as yours). Why? Because Lake Okeechobee has NOT gotten any rain, and that's our Lake Lanier.

Again, I apologize for making it sound like they were doing all they could. I really didn't mean it that way.

[BronxBoy]

36. No apologies necessary!

I was just thinking out loud as I read the discussion you were having with the other poster.

I know that public car washes are still open so I'm wondering what is the tipping point and even more as to why in a major metropolitan area, you have to reach a threshold of having only 90 days of water remaining before you even begin to think about what you are going to do.

Maybe this was totally unforseen and I hope some other DUers who have been in the area longer than I will chime in.

[kdmorris]

37. No, it's probably mismanagement.

One of my work colleagues sent me that article about the Stone Mountain Coca-Cola Snow Mountain thing and their plan to use a million gallons of water. She was so pissed because Stone Mountain Park was going to get to use all that water and she's using a cup to brush her teeth, basically camping in her own home. Apparently, the intense criticism caused Stone Mountain to change their minds.

I know that, down here, the South Florida Water Management district was, in large part, to blame for what happened this year. See, when Lake O started getting filled back up, they were afraid that we were going to get another hurricane season like 2005, so they drained something like 14 feet of water off. Well, 2006, no hurricanes, 2007 no hurricanes, and NOW they are freaking out. What the hell possessed them to do something like that with no guarantee of rain?

I don't live in Atlanta, only hear the grumblings from the people that work up there, so I don't know if your situation is the same.

[ecstatic]

2. A lot of homeowners do not want to give up on their lawns

And they are sneaking and watering their lawns and flowers at night. I'm embarrassed to admit that even my own parents behaved in this manner, but my dad claims his lawn cost over 50k. We have way too much land and way too many people here.

[Virginia Dare]

25. Manicured lawns need to become a thing of the past...

there are lots of creative, attractive and environmentally friendly ways to landscape, why do we insist on having lawns that are never used for anything but show? My neighbor has been running his sprinkler every single fricking day to keep his lawn alive. It's so wasteful.

[emilyg]

27. Report him/her. I intend to do just that.

[Virginia Dare]

28. We're not under restrictions here YET...

we're getting close. Maybe that's why there is a watering frenzy now. Lawn sprinkers have always struck me as wasteful though.

[Xithras]

30. Here's a suggestion from a drought veteran.

If you don't have a fescue down, overseed with one. Then let the lawn grow TALL. Generally speaking, the depth of a fescues roots will always be at least equal to the length of its blade. When establishing a new lawn, I personally like to let it grow for a month or two without cutting, letting it get to 12" to 18" before slowly scaling it back. Doing this encourages the grass to put down a very deep root system. Once those deep roots are established, lawns need FAR less water and can survive longer periods of drought without dying.

Most people water their lawns too much and keep them mowed short, which have the effect of encouraging a shallow root system. Lawns with shallow roots die very quickly if not watered regularly.

During the heat of this past summer, with our regular temperatures well over 100 degrees, I was only watering twice a week, 10 minutes at a go, and yet my lawn was just as green as anyone elses...and most people around here water every day, up to 20 minutes at a time (no meters in the towns).

[Virginia Dare]

31. After it stopped raining..

and we hadn't had rain for a few weeks, we completely stopped watering and mowing. There's no sense in it. That was about 10 weeks ago.

Now, our grass is actually still alive, but all the weeds died...:D

[Xithras]

32. Wow, impressive!

Unlike many people here, I actually don't have a problem with lawns, just with the way we treat them. Grasses are naturally occurring plants, and like all natural plants they have built in defenses that allow them to survive temporary weather extremes. For them to do so, we have to step back and let them live as they would in the wild. Deep roots, fewer cuttings, less foot traffic. If done properly, they require little water and no chemicals.

It sounds like your lawn already has a deep root system, which is a good thing. Even in drought conditions there is usually enough dampness in the soil to maintain plants once the roots get down a foot or two. Most lawns, if given the chance, can easily send roots that deep to tap it.

[Virginia Dare]

34. Don't get me wrong, it's brown and ugly..

because me had mostly weeds to begin with, except in the back, where the dogs fertilize regularly!..:D

[glowing]

3. Start turning it off like they do in Iraq and see if we get out of that

country any sooner?

[Wcross]

5. They are saying three-four months of water left- this is HUGH!

Sorry, I just had to join you in the sin bin of spelling errors!

Seriously though, this is going to get ugly quick. What are they going to do when people can't flush their toilets, can't take a shower, can't wash their clothes, can't get a drink of water?

[donsu]

6. it seems they are waiting for it to rain, however,

it would have to rain torrents for days on end to replenish some of the water.

Atlant will be on water restrictions for a very long time.

side note: now they are using, more or less, the dregs of water left in the lake. that water is sure to contain more heavy metals. can the water plants clean that out?

[kdmorris]

9. Yeah, you are right about that

They will need several "remnants" of a tropical storm or a stalled front to help any.

I think the water plants can clean it out, but I truthfully don't know.

[Wcross]

14. Wouldn't be a bad idea not to drink it.

I wouldn't take the chance, I hate to advocate shopping at wal-mart but they sell gallon jugs of spring water pretty cheap.

[RebelOne]

21. If everyone started thinking that way, the store shelves

would be stripped bare of drinking water in all stores.

[donsu]

22. then shouldn't the city be talking to water dealing stores about supplies

and re-supplies, etc.? shouldn't store managers, CEOs, etc. be making arrangements?

the lake is not going to fill up again if it rains next Tuesday.

[RebelOne]

24. Could be that they already are, since everyone is aware of the shortage.

[Sequoia]

33. I'm reminded of a "Beaver" episode I saw on TV Land Sunday.

Beaver wanted to make money to buy a baseball uniform and his dad, mom, brother, and neighbors had no work for him but told him to go and play. The day was very hot and the Beaver ran into some city workers who told him the water would be cut off for a few hours so he filled up bottles of water and sold them. His dad said, "Who ever heard of selling water in a bottle." This was in 1958. That Beaver was way ahead of the game! LOL! (I only like Beaver when he was little, once he got in junior high it just wasn't the same.)

[NightWatcher]

11. rapid urban sprawl without proper infrastructure planning plus a drought= now

I am so glad I moved from the Atl-Gainesville corridor.

[RubyDuby in GA]

16. Yes, those of us with half a brain are well aware that our water is running out

And yes, hard choices do need to be made, but with idiots like Sonny Bubba Perdue running the show, it will be BUSINESS as usual here.

[donsu]

17. guess the citizens will have to find a way to get Perdue's attention

quickly!

100 days is an estimate!

you know what happens to estimates.

[RubyDuby in GA]

19. Sonny McMoonFace is too stupid to know that he's supposed to act like he cares

This state is a joke.

I'm flipping a coin between Oregon and Vermont!

[donsu]

18. households with babies/young children better get Perdue's

attention too.

[NickB79]

35. Just one more impact global warming will have on human civilization

The African Sahel, the US Southwest, Australia, now the US Southeast. Around the world, rain patterns are shifting and becoming more irregular, threatening societies that live there.

At the same time, we have right-wing radio hosts whining about Gore winning the Nobel Prize. Some people refuse to learn.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

38. this is a cyclical drought in the Southeast

and really is not any worse than some of the others we have had over the last 300 years (see Stooksbury, state climatologist). The water problems are infrastructure v. growth...and poor management by the ACE.

sP