Later today, the Raleigh City Council will meet to discuss the status of the historic drought and consider methods to ensure the city will continue to have water through the spring. City leaders have already imposed Stage 1 water restrictions which resulted in the reduction of 1.1 million gallons of water consumption per day.
However, even at this reduced level, only 100 days worth of water remain in Falls Lake — meaning by Jan. 24, Raleigh would become a desert.
At its meeting today the city council should approve Stage 2 water restrictions. On Monday, Gov. Mike Easley called on the state’s municipal leaders to lead the effort in reducing water, not wanting to impose a state of emergency.
It’s up to the city council to follow the Governor’s call and impose those tighter water restrictions throughout Raleigh — the city needs to be a leader in the state when it comes to water conservation.
Stage 2 water restrictions in Raleigh would affect the University and its students. N.C. State uses about 400 million gallons of water per year or roughly 1.1 million gallons per day. That makes the University one of the top water consumers in the city.
Part of Stage 2 water restrictions are increases in fines from $200 to $1,000 on the first offense. Stage 2 restrictions prohibit the washing of sidewalks, decks and driveways. The restrictions further require “hotels to ask guest spending more than one night to use their towels and bed linens more than once before washing.”
Students should follow this by washing their clothes, sheets or towels only once per week, or team up with their friends and do a load together. Additionally, students must make sure that they turn off the faucet and shower when they are not using the water.
This is a historic drought, which will require significant conservation to make through until the sky decides to open up and bless us with water. The City Council must step up to the plate and implement Stage 2 water restrictions — if not now, then the city’s future may be drying up soon.