As most of you heard in class this week, I actually saw a water patrol truck driving around in a residential area near the coliseum this past week. Last I heard, if you are caught violating the water ban, you are warned, then fined $1,000, and then might have your water service cut off. Apparently, this water shortage stuff is pretty serious as you might have gathered from my previous entries. There is nothing that can be done to end the water drought, but it can be managed, and according to an article in the AJC, we're doing a better job managing it this time than during previous serious droughts. (This article was also particularly interesting to me because two of the authors were my soils and hydrology professors during my ag days.)
Another interesting point that this article brings out, and one that I want to further explore, is the fact that droughts not only affect water supply but also water quality. The article also quotes, "The solution to pollution is dilution." You've probably heard that phrase before. When there is less water in our streams, rivers, basins, reservoirs, etc. there is less water to dilute impure substances.
One of the controversial parts of this issue is that we pretty much know that we are going to deal with a drought situation during this time of the year. The difference is how severe the particular drought is and what we've learned from previous years that we can apply to the current drought situation. I think that water conservation should be stressed more throughout the year when we are not in a drought and perhaps our droughts could be much milder (thought we have actually been in some state of drought for the past year or so). Jay Bookman, a writer for the AJC, thinks that we have been seriously under prepared for a situation that we knew was coming. Now though, there's no way to ignore it.
As I've read how the drought situation has worsened and people are becoming more concerned, citizens and leaders alike, my awareness of how much water I use has certainly been heightened. I have to wonder though how serious this situation is to me since it really hasn't affected my daily life yet. I still have access to water when I want it and where I want it. I have seen some effects of the water shortage around, but nothing has specifically inconvenienced me yet. Is that what it will take for me to really realize the severity of the situation? Is that what it would take for others to realize that? Is there something else I can do personally to help? I feel pretty helpless really when I think about it. Sometimes I feel like the little things I can do to save water really won't make that big of a difference, but if everyone else always thinks like me, we might have a problem.
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5 comments:
A Polish writer named Stanislaw Jerzy Lec wrote "No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible." So droughts get worse as we assume our individual conservation measures are pointless.
But there's no social utility in moping about being powerless, is there? Better to write articles and post blogs letting people know how they can make a difference by shortening showers, turning off the tap while brushing their teeth, and living with a dirty car.
Your beat is of genuine importance. Have you considered taking photographers to Bear Creek reservoir and doing some interviewing there? If more people knew what a suffering reservoir looks like, they might be more motivated to save a few more drops.
I think the key point is convenience. Until you can show people who don't have to worry about watering their lawns and landscaping that conservation is important, that this drought could begin to effect the quality of their water, too, then they probably won't make a change. Also, your link to the first AJC opinion piece is dead. Too many https.
Thank you for your comments. Also, I fixed the link.
Is there any way for the county to restrict people's use of water inside the home?
That's a good question Grey. I'll try to find out.
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