Georgia drought ‘is over,’ water restrictions eased
June 10, 2009 at 2:42 pm by Thomas Wheatley in News
State Environmental Protection Division Director Carol Couch announced today that Georgia’s drought — the headline-grabbing phenomenon that forced Georgians to take shorter showers and watch our lawns turn brown — was officially over.
That also means the watering restrictions, which irked lawn-doting residents and hamstrung metro Atlanta’s landscaping industry, have been eased. (Here’s Georgia’s new outdoor watering schedule.)
Couch said she hopes residents — who surpassed Gov. Sonny Perdue’s 10 percent conservation goal — will continue using less water. But Georgians have very short memories.
Keep in mind that a drought can — and will — happen again. And Georgia lawmakers, who were quick to jump on the crisis but hard pressed to create actual reforms, squandered several opportunities to make the state better prepared when the next one arrives.
Juliet Cohen, general counsel for the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, called the state’s move today “totally irresponsible.” She said Georgia is no better off than when it first found itself in drought.
“The governor has been talking about establishing this culture of conservation for the state,” Cohen told CL. “And all the practices the people have begun to bring into their daily lives are now going to be abandoned because of false pretenses. And while we might not be in drought today and it’s been raining recently, our water supply hasn’t expanded and our population continues to grow.
Cohen points to water levels in Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River that are below full summer pool and can’t support recreation uses, respectively.
And even though the risk of running out of water motivated residents to cut back their water use, the Georgia General Assembly squandered several opportunities to capitalize on the awareness and bring about real reforms. Cohen mentions House Bill 1281 from the 2008 legislative session, a bill that prohibits local governments from imposing stricter watering restrictions than the state. Despite calling themselves advocates of “local control,” state lawmakers passed the bill.
“That’s a perfect example of where the state is holding those who want to push toward progressive water-conservation measures,” Cohen said. “That speaks volumes.”
This year, state lawmakers also failed to pass a bill that would’ve required apartment complexes to have individual water meters — meaning you wouldn’t have to subsidize your wasteful neighbor’s long showers. The General Assembly also failed to pass legislation that would’ve promoted xeriscaping — essentially, landscaping with plants that aren’t as water-intensive as grass and other non-native species.
Higher water bills in a tough economy might reduce wasteful water consumption. But unfortunately, state programs that could help people to use less — i.e. rebates for low-flow toilets and fixtures — are lacking. Aside from a few local and regional programs, most Georgians have very little incentive to save water again.
“Now that we’re out of a drought, the governor and General Assembly need to work on creating incentives to grow this culture of conservation the governor’s been talking about,” Cohen said. “Water conservation and water efficiency has to become a way of life. Not a fad that we cling to in times of drought.”
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
June 10th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
This is dumb. When did watering your lawn become a plank of the GOP platform?
June 10th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Thank God those pesky water restrictions are over. Now I can turn on my hose tonight and let the water run down the driveway into the street.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:52 am
He prayed for rain and now we’ve got it. That’s what Sonny did.