With much of the state gripped by severe drought, Gov. Mike Easley on Thursday asked residents to consider cutting their water usage by 20 percent.
“Stream flows and groundwater levels are approaching their lowest levels in recorded history and many of our reservoirs are declining by one foot every 10 days,” said Easley, adding that state agencies also were told to cut nonessential water use.
The drought is most acute in the state’s 12 westernmost counties, several of which have rated “exceptional drought” status according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Thus far, however, only 21 of the state’s nearly 600 public water systems have imposed mandatory restrictions on water use.
“We all must conserve if we are to, in any way, minimize the impact of the drought,” said Easley.
We at Xpress want to know: How do you prefer to conserve water? Sharing showers? Stopping at just one cup of Yogi Tea? Letting the yellow mellow? Perspiring less?
— Kent Priestley, staff writer
Shower at my place! We can fit at least 4 people!
how about water-catchment?
collecting the rainwater off of your roof (metal roofs are better, but even the asphalt shingled roofs can be used if filtered) can save an enormous amount of rainwater for your garden, or even for household use (if you filter it well)
in addition to that, how about not letting people water their friggin lawns?!? seriously. unless it’s from their water-catchment cisterns. i mean, that has to be one of the most unnecessary, foolish uses for our water supply i can think of. grow a garden that feeds yourself, plant sme fruit trees, or native plants, or have a dirt-patch in your yard, but please, PLEASE stop with the stupid lawn thing.
yeah the lawns are the biggest thing.
I used to live in Albuquerque, and one of the great things that the local government did to discourage lawns, and watering of lawns was to give tax breaks for xeriscaping. I am sure something similar could be done here with a promotion of drought-tolerant landscaping using native plants, it just requires some creative thinking on the part of city government; something, unfortunately, they seem to be in serious deficit of.
Whether is it a drought or not I am frustrated by the people who use water to clean their driveways and walkways. My God no wonder America is so fat, many Americans have forgotten how to use a broom!