Severe Drought Forces Mandatory Water Restrictions in Parts of Western North Carolina

With a severe drought affecting most of western North Carolina and no end in sight, several area towns and cities are putting water usage limitations in effect.

The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Commission has already indicated that the western counties are suffering an "exceptional drought", which is the most critical status possible. According to Asheville TV channel WLOS's weather service, there has only been .75 inches of rain during August, compared to the average August rainfall of 3.04 inches. There's no question that this part of the state is facing a critical situation. When will it end? In all likelihood, it will continue through much of the fall until seasonal changes begin to bring about the moisture more common to this area deemed, in many parts, to be a rain forest.

Tryon, North Carolina, a town located about 30 miles outside of Asheville, gets its water from Lake Lanier. Because the water level has dropped so significantly, city officials there have put into effect a mandatory ban on certain uses of water. The Town at its website tryon-nc.com has clearly spelled out what constitutes a violation under elevated stage II status. The more lenient stage I had been in effect since June 14. Under that stage, residents were asked to limit car washing and lawn and garden watering. In addition, folks were asked to turn faucets off while shaving or rinsing dishes, limit hours of water-cooled air conditioners, limit showers to a maximum of four minutes, etc. Basically, stage I asked for the cooperation of local residents.

The elevated stage II does more than ask. It is now mandatory restrictions that are in place and it is unlawful to violate those rulings. A complete list of restrictions can be seen at the website sited above. Water will no longer be offered in restaurants unless patrons request it. Sidewalks and streets will not be hosed down, and vehicles may not be washed whether by hand or commercially.

Hendersonville, one of western North Carolina's largest cities, along with Henderson County, has issued its own request for voluntary conservation. The Mills River, the main supplier of Henderson County's water, is dropping at the rate of about 1/2" per day due to both the lack of rain and the unusually high temperatures resting in the mid- to upper- nineties. The Henderson County website, hendersoncountync.org is urging residents to take the conservation request seriously before it becomes necessary to implement mandatory restrictions. The county is already purchasing more than one million gallons a day from nearby Asheville, but that isn't enough to solve the shortage problem.

Henderson County officials are even researching the possibility of having to access the French Broad River if the Mills River runs much lower. That would mean laying above-ground pipes and pumping the water, both of which are extremely costly. In addition to the same restrictions put in place by Tryon's Stage I (see above), Henderson County has added a few more of its own including the strong suggestion to recycle dish water and use it to water plants, limiting baths in favor of showers, and only running full loads of laundry and dishes.

I spoke with one Henderson County resident, Roy Novick, who agrees with the County's efforts and supports them. "If we make a few concessions now, we may be able to avoid a more serious situation in the very near future" he said. "If residents ban together, they can have a huge positive impact on the water shortage."

No one knows when the situation will be rectified. Forecasters are predicting more very hot weather and the only rain expected is an occasional thunderstorm which won't bring enough water to remedy the area's woes.