Decatur Adjusts to Drought, While GA Looks Ahead
Decatur Metro | October 17, 2007Mary 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…
————————————————————-
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.
————————————————————–
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…
Latest from Decaturish
Will someone explain to me why Alabama and Florida didnt fix their own water problems by tapping water supplies in their own states during the past 18 years, which is the length of time all 3 states were aware of the problem? Is Florida really complaining about some endagered muscle beds! Move um! It seems to me a state that is surrounded by water, could invest in a few desalinazation plants and new reseviors!
Even everyday citizens know that one doesnt put all their eggs in one basket! And whats that quip about self reliance…….
Also, can someone please explain to me why Tennessee isnt supplying water to our region. Anyone who has driven through Chattanooga on I75 has seen the massive supply of water and lakes located in Chattanooga!
What about creating a national water system similar to the oil pipelines?! The large percentage of infrastructure needed to build this type of system already exists.
Now the problem has been politicized, the Governors are ducking for cover and it will be another 20 years before everyone stops blaming each other, and yet nothing will be done to fix the problem long term. So in 20 years we can do this all over again.
It doesnt take a rocket sceintist to figure out a policy is needed to steadily increase the water supply to meet ever increasing demand. One would have to live under a rock to have not heard the gloom and doom news of the exponential growth in worldwide (never mind Cobb County) population. Its time for politicians to, “Man/Woman-up” instead of making careers out of elected positions that were originally intended to be a job!
I ony wish I was as immoral and unethical enough to be a politician (said with a disgusted tone)!