JoCo Mandatory Water Conservation

October 15, 2007


PRESS RELEASE

Effective Monday, October 22, 2007, Johnston County water customers are directed to conserve, minimize or eliminate non-essential uses of water. Lawn irrigation shall be limited to one day per week as follows:

Odd addresses -- Tuesday
Even addresses -- Wednesday

Systems supplied by the County, which includes the Towns of Clayton, Kenly, Four Oaks, and Princeton, and private systems owned by Aqua N.C. and Carolina Water Service are also asked to assist within their jurisdictions.

The mandatory water conservation order will remain in place until further notice, and most likely until the occurrence of significant rainfall in the region. Commercial uses of water are not prohibited, but conservation is urgently requested.


Rick Hester
County Manager

 

rainfall

Why do they not publicly recommend private well users to conserve water as well. Everyone knows the water all comes from or goes to the same place. Some people think well water is endless! My neighbor across the street waters his lawn every day for hours. Really ticks me off. Everyone else's grass is brown. If our wells run dry he had better hide.

 

I may get boo'd for saying this, but seriously....

I think anyone watering their lawns now, should be fined........period.

Yeah, I know you spent a ton of money on sod, etc...but I'd like to still have drinking water in 2 months. I don't give a rats patootey about your lawn.

And for the love of Pete, it's October, do you really need a GREEN lawn in October???

Grrrrr

 

I agree. I think you should be fined for watering your grass when we are in such a drought. I want to be able to drink water and wash my butt in 2 months. I could careless about how pretty my neighbors yard is. Some peoples priorities are mixed up.I have seen people power washing their house's washing cars and watering their yards and we have had next to NO rain in months. They need to ride by these peoples house and just shut off their water completely we are all gonna suffer for their lack of a brain.

 

IRKS me ...

What defines commercial use? Is it Just Tires @ corner of Shotwell Rd & Hwy 70 watering their lawn ? What about sub-division entrys with their name signs and grass/garden area? Is that considered commercial use too? I would think that as severe as the officials state, that NO ONE would get to utilize the water in such a way of watering lawns and such.

 

Pffft! I have dirt for a lawn... a few stray weeds thrown in the mix, but mostly just dirt. :-D

 

http://www.newsobserver.com/weather/drought/story/737507.html

I wonder what Easley's lawn looks like... And not the mansion, his own private residence. Remember when he wanted us to conserve gas, and not go out of town for Memorial Day weekend, and promptly hopped into his helicoptor for a trip to his Wilmington home?

"Easley said people should:

- Stop watering lawns and shrubs. "It's mid-October. It's time to have a little brown grass in the yard," he said."



Uh, Mike? My lawn has been DEAD all summer. Now is when we seed so that we don't lose the exposed dirt. Alot of my grass is dead, and will not return. Not dormant... DEAD. October is when all the seeding and watering takes place... Wondering if ole Mike is scheduled for seeding this fall.....

Now, I could care less about my lawn (don't tell DH!!). But we eat out of our gardens alot. That is where most of our vegetables come from. Water once a week. That ain't gonna cut it. Good thing I got those blinker coupons for the Birdseye steamers, and with the Lowes Foods coupon.. 50 cents a bag!!

 

Maybe just my opinion, but i honestly do not think the not watering lawns includes vegetable gardens. Food gardens are not a waste of a natural resource, they are one. i really think they are talking about those idiots that have to keep up with the Jones and make their grass the greenest in the neighborhood. Personally, i have not planted anymore plants since this Spring cause i knew it would be a waste of water to keep them going as new plants in the ground. i really wanted to redo my front yard with a ground cover cause the weeds are unreal but decided i would deal with weeds until we are out of this drought.

 

Was going down Guy Road this evening and The apartments close to Clayton Middle School was watering their grass and part of it was hitting the road. I think apartment complexes and such should also be told not to water their lawn.

 

I have a question. What is the typical water usage in a month for a family of 2,3,4 etc? I don't know if we are doing ok or not. Does anyone know?

 

That's good to know Kaci, I will call around and double check.

 

not sure, just cut back as much as you can and you should be fine, I know we are looking into getting a hook up with county water, our well is going dry and we have not used a dropped that we didnt need, no grass, plants, cars being washed, hell we even took our clothes else where to wash and we still our starting to get worried...

 

I have neighbors that sneak out at night to water their lawns. Is that not stupid? I think watering the lawn should be out until further notice. Drinking water is vital to life. Who cares about the green lawn at this point?!

I know Jordan lake is used as a resevoir(can't spell today--sorry) but isn't it also used for the nuclear power plant in some capacity as well? Does anyone know this? If so, what are the implications if it gets too low?

Does anyone on here use a cistern system? If so, is it worth it? I know the barrels aren't that much and essentially you can make one yourself. Just wondering if it is worth the effort.

Last thought here. All of us w/ dirty cars should be commended for saving water--LOL. I washed it one time this summer and felt guilty for doing that. What happens when the water does run out? What are the short and long term implications? Sorry but this topic has really gotten me thinking today. Have a great week everyone.

Stephanie--mom to 7

 

Apparently your neighbours do.

Water is used to both create electricity and cool the nuclear rods. It will never get so low as to create a hazard. At the most, they will shut down the reactor and recycle the cooling water.

The water will never really run out. If our local water supply dries up, we will buy water from other states. No one will die from dehydration (at least not because of the drought).

The long term implications are that water will continually be restricted "just in case it happens again", and your taxes will go up to pay for the water we buy from other states.

Water is the only true permanent resource. It will never disappear. It may be located somewhere else, for a time, but there will always be the same amount of water on the planet that there was a million years ago.

 

Well, if you really want to get picky about it, eventually, after a few million years, the water will eventually evaporate into space, just like it did on Mars. But, by that time, mankind will experience either:

a) The Second Coming

b) Evolutionary changes into non-corporeal beings

c) Advances in space flight to the point where we can just move to a planet where there is water

d) Nuclear technologies which would allow us to create water out of base elements.

 

Ya'll scare me! :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Probably all of the above.

 

Several of our neighbors are families of four and their bills run from $35.00 to $85.00/month.

 

Well....from the sidelines I kinda enjoy it... I seem to learn something from each of you whenever you pick other people's ideas, facts or opinions apart. 8)

 

We have 3 in our family. Our Bill from Aqua NC is usually $25. I can't remember for how many gallons that is.