Chad Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Environment

City Council Approves Stage 2 Water Restrictions

The Raleigh City Council approved stage 2 water restrictions on Tuesday amidst a widespread landscaping industry protest. The chambers were packed out into the hallway as the eight member council unanimously approved the ban on all outdoor water use.

Mayor Meeker would like the ban to go into effect on February 15th. The ban will include pressure washing, all outdoor water use, use of water-cooled air conditioners that do not recycle water, all non-essential use of water for commercial or public use, and will prohibit restaurants from serving water, except by request. Car washes will also be closed unless they recycle their water.

At this time, the supply in Falls Lake is predicted to last until May.

Along with landscaping, nursuries, and golf course maintenance, the residential construction industry will be greatly affected by this drought. The phase 2 restrictions will prevent the flushing of new water lines to clean and test them—a standard requirement for any new construction. There has been a lot of discussion about the possible recapture of water used for this purpose and an advisory committee recommended excluding builders that recycle their test water.

Although he joined the council in giving an ‘aye’ Council member Philip Isley dissented by stating that “we’re putting people out of business.“ Rather, it is not the council that may put companies out of business, it is the drought itself. These industries rely on a major supply of a limited natural resource to sustain private enterprise. At a time when this limited public resource is at a threatening low it is the responsibility of our elected officials to preserve it for public health and sanitation requirements. The council made the unfortunate, but necessary decision.

Image Credits: Falls Lake December 1 2007 by Heather at NCCN
ncconservationnetwork.org

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  • Jedidiah02/05 07:12 PM

    Cafe Luna was already enforcing the “water by request” this past weekend.

  • Cydney02/05 07:29 PM

    I’ve noticed several places seeming to do so. Five Star was asking when I was there… about two weeks ago.

  • JZ02/05 11:47 PM

    “we’re putting people out of business”:  while I deeply feel for those whose livelyhood will be affected by these measures, it doesn’t exonerate Mr. Isley’s comments.  His notion of linking conservation efforts with a form of negative market intervention sickens me.  Issues like this one require a strong legistator who can inspire citizens to change how they live for the better, not excuse wasteful, unsustainable behaviour.

  • sarah emily02/06 12:03 PM

    Question?  Did anyone see the hydrants open on Brookside Dr. last week (or prior).  Water gushing from three hydrants for hours.  Where does that water come from?  Does it effect supply?

  • RaleighRob02/06 12:23 PM

    Well, Mr. Isley has a point…but I wish he’d do something about it.
    A) Mandate that all city grounds are planted with native, drought-resistant plants.  When permitting new commercial developments & subdivisions, make it a permit condition for them to do the same.  Then possibly offer incentives for these local nurseries and landscape companies to focus on those types of plants.
    B) Make treated wastewater readily available for any landscape company to fill a truck full and take it for use.
    C) Encourage new development to build stormwater detention ponds and allow them to reuse that water for their grounds.

    You just have to think outside the box, really.

  • David02/06 12:47 PM

    The landscaping industry including nurseries and golf course maintenance is extremely upset and the cites inequity of enforcement is the point of contention.  Over 200 from the self labeled “green industry” showed up in protest of what they feel is selective restriction for private business.  With these businesses, water is so core to their services.  It is hard not to feel empathetic for the small, often family run shops. The scale of the industry and their high level of utilization here in prosperous Wake County demands reform in their base technique and strategies for landscape design and maintenance. 

    Surely it is impossible for too much landscaping to be done without water in the first place.  Considering a time when water is a plenty, how can we keep from falling back into this situation? Our lawn focused culture is a big part of this problem, moving to sustainable yards that don’t require supplemental watering is essential to our city’s growth. I like your ideas Rob, I just think there has to be cultural change in a larger sense for any reform to be successful.

  • JZ02/06 12:49 PM

    Right!  I think what you’re pointing to is that with any regulation that adjusts the status quo (hopefully for the better), new technology, products or business emerge to meet demand.

    I hope Isley does think outside the box and that there are advisers working with council to assist the public in the ways you describe.  Good ideas…..

  • HelenTart02/06 01:43 PM

    Yes, I did see the hydrant flushing on Brookside Drive. I even caught some of it in large containers I brought from my house but I ran out of containers.

    Thinking outside the box…

    —Maybe the city could notify landscaping companies (or the public) when they are doing the kind of work that requires flushing lines and let them catch the water.

    —The city—or the landscaping companies—could contact other parts of the country that aren’t in drought to see if there are extra tanker trucks that could be spared (according to news sources there is a local shortage of tanker trucks) to hold the treated waste water.

    —If the city increases water fees, some of that money could be used for loans or grants to lanscaping companies that change their focus to drought tolerant plants.

    —Maybe the city should point out to state government that the state should be helping to convert some of these other businesses—like carwashes that don’t recycle—to the new water saving technology. (Anybody know if the state is already doing this?)

    Maybe they should have started doing this things months ago.

  • Mr. Prueny02/07 03:42 PM

    Let’s take advantage of our situation.  Things may get much worse.  ENCOURAGE methods of using less clear-water.  ENABLE recycling and harvesting of rain and gray-water.  Mostly, CONTINUE these practices even when it seems were “in the clear”.  This must apply to all material resources!

  • JZ02/07 05:49 PM

    Most European nations actually have split systems:  grey water for toilets and showers, potable water for all sinks/drinking.  There are some advantages to large wars that force/enable entire countries to revamp their infrastructure. I’m not sure how we can siphon off the grey water from the black without some extreme infrastructural costs….any ideas?

  • rt02/07 07:54 PM

    Below the Beltline has some interesting analysis on this issue.

    After crunching the rainfall numbers, they conclude that this drought is not a result of historically low rainfall, but rather historically high demand for water fueled by the region’s growth.

    http://www.belowthebeltline.org/frames-lane/lane.htm

    Quoting -

    “ Now it is clear as day – if we had this rainfall deficit in 1987 or even 1997 rather than 2007, we wouldn’t be in exceptional drought, because ten and twenty years ago we had nowhere near as many folks trying to pull water out of Falls Lake. “

    “Three things are now indisputable:

    1. New development accounts for 100% of the increase in our water use, not 1%.

    2. Our current water crisis is 100% attributable to poor planning and zero political will, not natural causes.

    3. “Growth Pays For Itself” is the biggest lie in the history of Earth.“

  • WSummer05/13 12:16 PM

    Oh! Great job!
    Very good and actual post.
    Thx, your blog in my RSS reader now

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