Thinking about the water crisis we are facing here in north Georgia has made me realize how very much water we could avoid using in the first place. Having an ample supply of running water is a convenience I do not want to give up. But I have to admit we have made it enormously convenient to waste it at an alarming rate.
Consider the question, "How much water would you use each day if you had to draw it up bucket by bucket from your hand cranked well?" I believe nearly every one of us would use less. Furthermore, the water we did use would be put through as many uses as possible before it was completely discarded. For example, we would catch the water from rinsing our dishes to use to flush our toilets. Water spent washing our fruits and vegetables would be captured to pour on our house plants.
Anyone who has ever been camping in the woods knows how possible it is to get by with using considerably less water. Since you normally have to carry with you the water you are going to drink and cook with, you guard that precious liquid with great care. You learn to brush your teeth using just a cup of water.
If we treated the water we conveniently access by simply turning on the faucet with the same care we would give it if we had to pull it up by bucket from a well, we would find we had plenty. That applies even during a drought.
Outdoor water use is already prohibited here. But, we need to start reducing our indoor water use as well. I have begun double checking to make sure I am not turning on the water flow at the faucet more than I need to. Some people have begun keeping a bucket in the shower to catch extra water to pour on their parched plants.
An additional step we can take is to avoid flushing our toilets as often. Unless there is solid waste present we can normally just put the lid down and go on our way. In some parts of the country, more familiar with water rationing, they use the limerick, "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."
If our clothes are not visibly dirty, we might be able to get by with just airing them out a bit. Perhaps we could shorten our showers and do just a quick total rinse with special attention to a different section of the body each day.
Yes, there are measures we can take to conserve before the water stops flowing. The big question is, "Will we take them?" Some of us will. But lots of my fellow citizens seem to see conservation and sacrifice as something for the other guy.
That's Wade's two cents.
Wade Houston
October 20, 2007
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Showing posts with label water crisis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water crisis. Show all posts
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
No Wave To Ride
In the metropolitan Atlanta we are facing a water crisis that is beyond any we have ever faced in the past. Extreme drought conditions have drained area lakes to the point where many docks lead to more dry land and boating is seriously restricted. Lakeside businesses are finding their commerce drying up as well. But those problems are minor compared to the looming loss of drinking water.
All outdoor watering is now banned. Violators are having their water shut off and must pay heavy fines to have it restored. Area restaurants are offering table water only upon request. Plant nurseries have curtailed selling outdoor plants that require much watering upon transplantation. New sod is not being delivered.
This is not enough. We are still consuming water faster than it is accumulating. The long range forecast is for dryer than normal conditions. With the present rate of consumption, it is forecast that our area will be without running water sometime in early 2008.
In spite of these extreme conditions, the Army Corp of Engineers continues to drain the reservoir sending water downstream to Alabama and Florida at the same rate they normally do. Does that make any sense? Why should Alabama and Florida be exempt from suffering from the same consequences of drought that plague Georgia?
Obviously, it does not make sense. Unfortunately, no provision for the current conditions was ever built into the water release guidelines. The Governor has requested that the water release be curtailed. The Army Corp of Engineers said they are considering their options but are continuing to drain the lake. It is sort of like someone saying, "Yeah, it looks like this fire is getting out of hand," while throwing more wood on it at the same time.
The State of Georgia is now faced with trying to get legal injunctions to block further water releases until a new plan can be drafted. A legal injunction will take the Corp of Engineers off the hook for not following the guidelines they have been given. It will empower them to use their common sense without suffering the consequences.
Clearly, we need more forward thinking in our government and in the electorate. It is inefficient to wait until situations become critical before we react. But that is the nature of politics. Even the best of our elected officials often lack the mandate to make needed changes until the public is so uncomfortable with current circumstances they give them no choice. The blame lies not just on our elected government but also upon ourselves.
That's Wade's two cents.
Wade Houston
October 18, 2007
Previous post
All outdoor watering is now banned. Violators are having their water shut off and must pay heavy fines to have it restored. Area restaurants are offering table water only upon request. Plant nurseries have curtailed selling outdoor plants that require much watering upon transplantation. New sod is not being delivered.
This is not enough. We are still consuming water faster than it is accumulating. The long range forecast is for dryer than normal conditions. With the present rate of consumption, it is forecast that our area will be without running water sometime in early 2008.
In spite of these extreme conditions, the Army Corp of Engineers continues to drain the reservoir sending water downstream to Alabama and Florida at the same rate they normally do. Does that make any sense? Why should Alabama and Florida be exempt from suffering from the same consequences of drought that plague Georgia?
Obviously, it does not make sense. Unfortunately, no provision for the current conditions was ever built into the water release guidelines. The Governor has requested that the water release be curtailed. The Army Corp of Engineers said they are considering their options but are continuing to drain the lake. It is sort of like someone saying, "Yeah, it looks like this fire is getting out of hand," while throwing more wood on it at the same time.
The State of Georgia is now faced with trying to get legal injunctions to block further water releases until a new plan can be drafted. A legal injunction will take the Corp of Engineers off the hook for not following the guidelines they have been given. It will empower them to use their common sense without suffering the consequences.
Clearly, we need more forward thinking in our government and in the electorate. It is inefficient to wait until situations become critical before we react. But that is the nature of politics. Even the best of our elected officials often lack the mandate to make needed changes until the public is so uncomfortable with current circumstances they give them no choice. The blame lies not just on our elected government but also upon ourselves.
That's Wade's two cents.
Wade Houston
October 18, 2007
Previous post
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