Mary Swift of GoDeKalb lists the ways Decatur and the county of DeKalb are dealing with the North Georgia water shortage. Water conservation efforts by the city include ceasing “irrigation of ball fields, limiting the washing of city vehicles and providing dry hand sanitizers in public buildings.” The city has also asked restaurants to turn off all water features and only serve water to customers if asked. Additionally, as you may have noticed, the city has taken down all the flower pots that once hung from downtown light poles.

In anticipation of further drought, Swift reports that the city may turn off outdoor drinking fountains and icemakers in public buildings.  I would hope that before we started limiting people’s accessibility to drinking water that it is assumed that the city would first cease ALL non-compulsory water use like “limited” washing of city vehicles.

The AJC detailed Georgia’s different levels of water restrictions a couple days ago. They are as follows…

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State law says, “In the event of a dire emergency, only water for domestic and personal uses, for drinking, cooking, washing, sanitary purposes and all health related activities will be permitted. Farm uses will be given second priority; however, all other usages will be established by the Director.”

State regulations recommend how water users should be ranked in drought contingency plans. The first use to be cut is outdoor recreation; the second is uses such as watering lawns and gardens and the noncommercial washing of cars. Most of those were eliminated under Couch’s Sept. 28 order for metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

The next category to be restricted is commercial and industrial use, followed by farming, and then personal uses.

The last to be restricted would be emergency facilities for essential life support.

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Man oh man, let’s hope we don’t ever get beyond the limited commercial/industrial use phase.

I see thunderstorms in the forecast for tomorrow…