Drought in the South Hits Home with Water Restrictions

The drought in the Southern United States is reaching critical levels in some small towns in Middle Tennessee, with a precipitation level 15 inches below normal and temperatures soaring to triple digits most people are beginning to wonder if there is any relief in sight. As you drive through the gently rolling hills and valleys that make up the majority of Macon County, Tennessee you are not greeted by the beautiful green grass and foliage that would normally be seen everywhere this time of year, but rather by grass and foliage that has been killed by oppressive heat and lack of precipitation.

Most of the people that once loved the beautiful southern sun now groan when they awake to find yet another day with no rain falling. The farmers in the area have been hardest hit with crops languishing and dying in the fields, but everyone is feeling the pinch as electric bills soar in response to the increased demand for air conditioning during the heat wave, and the cost of hay, produce or any type of crop hits record highs as the demand far outweighs the supply in the area.

Residents of the city of Lafayette, TN were not surprised when water restrictions that had been voluntary at the beginning of the summer became mandatory as the drought worsened. Letters were sent to the homes of everyone on city water mandating that they use no water for filling swimming pools, washing cars or watering lawns. These letters outlined the consequences for not abiding the water restrictions, which were steep to say the least.

For the first offense a violation of the water restrictions would net an individual a $150 fine. The second offense would result in the city water meter being pulled from the residence without the possibility of reconnection until the restrictions were lifted. This left residents with a grim prognosis, if they misused the water they had, they could truly find themselves without.

The parameters defined for punishable offenses of misusing the water, were also accompanied by some requests for help in saving water. These included limiting showers to five minutes, turning off the water during between uses during routine tasks like brushing your teeth or rinsing dishes, and only flushing toilets as necessary for hygienic purposes.

The restrictions in place right now in Lafayette, TN are stringent, and residents expect that it will only get worse if they don't get some rain. One look around this normally lush green community will tell you that the water shortage is serious, and if the dead crops and grass don't let you know, one of the residents will surely fill you in.