Drought conditions spark water and fire measures

The city of Asheville is requesting that you shorten your shower. Due to drought conditions and software that offers foreboding predictions about levels at the city’s water reservoir, the Water Resources Department is asking that folks conserve water where they can.

“While we are fortunate to have the ability to meet current water demands, we also need to understand that everyone should consider conservation whenever possible,” said Water Resources Director David Hanks in an e-mail release. “We recognize and appreciate that requests for voluntary conservation have been widely accepted and practiced by water users.”

The city makes the following suggestions for conservation:

-Don’t wash cars with a hose; instead consider a commercial car wash that recycles water.
-Limit or stop watering landscape; always use shutoff nozzles on hoses.
-Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways, sidewalks, and decks.
-Turn the water off while brushing teeth or shaving.
-When washing dishes, don’t leave the water on while rinsing.
-Fix leaky faucets, plumbing joints, and toilets.
-Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors.
-Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher.
-Shorten showers.

The dry autumn has also caused the N.C. Division of Forest Resources to issue a statewide burn ban for the second time this year. Unlike the city’s water-conservation request, the burn ban is nonnegotiable and punishable by fines and/or imprisonment, according to a release by Asheville Fire and Rescue. So no outside burns until we get the green light from the guys in the red hats.

Brian Postelle, staff writer

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6 thoughts on “Drought conditions spark water and fire measures

  1. A serious problem, but I’ve seen worse drought conditions here in Western North Carolina… have faith, the rains will return — after all, we live in the area of second highest annual rainfall in the continental U.S.

  2. chuck

    everyone knows that the drought is caused by al gores lifestyle choices, and used as propoghanda to forward their plan for world domination in the guise of thwarting Global Warming.

  3. Julia Book

    Every day i see used cars getting a bath on my way to work. My well is almost out so my showers are too short!

  4. chuk

    Ralph, I hope you don’t seriously think a few localized sprinkles constitutes the end of the drought? I’m wondering if you are one of those folks who think the drought is just liberal propoganda? And I think you didnt mean to use two ‘o’s in ‘Good’, right?

  5. We got over 1 inch the last two days… yes, we’re still down 10 inches for the year but see my comments earlier about highest rainfall, etc.

    I drive all over these mountains a lot, I am NOT seeing the drastic effects of worse dry spells in the past.

    As to liberals, climate patterns is just one of many things they do not understand.

    And spell ‘good’ as you like.

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