We've all been praying to the rain gods lately to save the water supply in Wake County. In October I wrote "Severe Drought Halts Outdoor Watering Indefinitely in Raleigh, NC" As noted in the previous post it hasn't been working so desperate times call for desperate measures.
When I mean desperate - I mean desperate. Currently the Falls Lake water supply is 10B-yes that's a B for Billion-Gallons low and only drastic changes will help Wake County recover from the drought we are experiencing.
The Raleigh Mayor is proposing a 50% surcharge for water to be implemented March 1 and appear on May bills that would last the entire year!!! The other option he's proposing is for homeowners to buy rain barrels for irrigation and install low flow shower devices. Is he serious????
Since when did raising taxes solve anyone's problems??? It will be interesting to see the public's reaction to this 
one. Mayor Weinbrecht is holding a forum on his first Cary Matters TV show the 1st week of February on the topic and is also attending a retreat where the Mayors will come up with ideas. I certainly hope the ideas are better than charging the hard working tax payers a surcharge on water!!!
Photo of raindrops courtesty of Flickr
Tracy Santrock, REALTOR, specializes in relocation, buyer agency, listings & investment properties in the Triangle area of North Carolina with Fonville Morisey. Visit www.TriangleNCHomes4Sale.com.
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I know it get's crazy, all we can do is pray and cut down on our water usage.
Have a wonderful day!
Tracy, that is amazing that you have such a low water supply! I do remember though - some years ago, where we were required to install the shower heads, not water our lawns or plants, low flow toilets (still have those as well as shower heads). Water is something we cannot always assume we'll have even in Arizona! Most of these rations took place in Southern California some 20+ years ago and, most of them are still in place today. As far as a surcharge, we probably already are paying those as well.
I'd heard that Arkansas also had a water problem. Isn't it amazing? Here it is raining all over the northeast especially Seattle area and northern California, and no rain in other parts of the country.
Tracy--Teri E took my comment (we must think alike too). It is hard to believe that Cary, NC is without water when so many communities are flooding out. It is expected in AZ or other dry communities but I would never consider NC a state with water issues. Minnesota was very dry almost all of last year but the fall rain and snow brought us out of the drought numbers. Hopefully in 2008 lots of rain will fall for your community.
The other Teri E. :)
Tracy,
Good luck. I'd love to be able to ship some of this snow down your way.... maybe with the increase in tax revenue?
Tracy - The next time I talk to the folks I'll have to ask them about this. When I was down there on vacation over the Holidays, it was mentioned how waterfall was very much needed.
I am hoping for snow and rain in the mountains so it will run our way and fill our lakes since we are to have a dry winter. I am hoping for a wet spring, summer and fall though. Not much else we can do. Rasing taxes is not what will help, but they are tyring to cover the expense of trying new ways to get water to us I believe why for the taxes. This does not make it right.
We are in the same boat ( no pun intended in Wilmington) 21 inches below normal. What is taxing the homeowners going to achieve?
Tracy ~ This is serious! I've never seen anything like it. Can you believe that there are still people in the Triangle who are washing their cars and watering their lawns in this drought? I just saw on the news the other day that the City of Raleigh is giving out fines, but some folks just don't seem to care. Go figure!
Tracy, it does get a little scary. We had very little rain last summer, and I'm probably going to have to use that lawn paint if I want a green lawn in the spring.
Tracy, it does get a little scary. We had very little rain last summer, and I'm probably going to have to use that lawn paint if I want a green lawn in the spring.
Tracy, it does get a little scary. We had very little rain last summer, and I'm probably going to have to use that lawn paint if I want a green lawn in the spring.
Hi Tracy,
I hope the needed rain comes quickly for your area. We are not as dry on the coast. I think rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days for you, isn't it? Yes, let the rain begin.
We are supposed to get rain for the next 3 days, it will not cure it but at least it may put a dent in the drought. We are in good shape here in Sanford because we recycle our water.
Lisa
Surely there are other alternatives...such as using the money they spend to dedicate a governor on a plaque...or street sign can be used for emergencies such as this???
TRACY- I had not heard about that proposal. That is unreal! I KNOW it is bad...but I'm not sure that is the answer. Let's just keep praying for rain...SOON. GBU!
I wish we could send some of the water we have here - we are drowning in it and although that sounds great, it isn't when the water table is so high and it just won't stop. I hope it rains soon where you are!
Tracy: I knew it was just a matter of time before the politicians found a way to hit our pocketbooks over the drought. Why didn't they do a better job of managing growth in the first place?! We've been hit in North Georgia too but have gotten some rain, not nearly enough but we even have an ad on TV asking people to pray for rain. I do hope and pray that we all, do NOT go through another summer without rain. It will really be devastating. I hope things improve in your area soon.
I was out on the lake about a month ago and took this picture:
By lake I meant Falls Lake. And this boat was beached on an area of land that is usually well below the water line. I'm an avid fisherman and there are many buoys that are just sitting on dry land and many areas that are not accessible to boats that once where readily accessible.
Did you know that Falls Lake is 17% smaller at full capacity than originally planned? I just read about it in the N&O a couple days ago. The Army Corps of Engineers made a miscalculation when they were building the lake.
Here's the article:
http://www.newsobserver.com/weather/drought/story/877477.html
Living in southern California I have seen several of the water schemes...low flow this and that....water only in the evenings, 5 min. showers etc. But the bottom line is we waste a ton of water, and we have overbuilt for our water supply......now we have to do something before we are in major trouble........
Good Luck....so many don't see a problem no matter how much you put it in their face.
Tracy -We also are experiencing low water levels (the lowest in over 20 years)around the Uxbridge area.
We were up in the Georgian Bay area over the holidays and noted the extremely low water level. Apparently Lake Huron has dropped 5 feet in recent years, some are blaming the changes made to the St Clair River to allow ocean going boats access to the lake. The drop in the level of the Great lakes is probably the most alarming of all.
Hi Tracy, Well It sure it coming down today. Second time this week we have had rain all day. Isn't it wonderful! Hope it's raining on you too!
Tracy, your story about the drought reminds me of what happened here in N Texas for about two to three years and the lake levels really dropped. In 2007 in May and June it rained nearly non-stop for two months and the lakes filled back up. These things cycle and you will get rain again. Hopefully soon.
At first the title made me wonder if we are talking the drought upon our land, or the drought upon our business! LOL
Either way, may it Rain on them both!
Tracy...It's much the same in Virginia. Here at Lake Anna the water is down about 4'. We have beaches were there shouldn't be beaches. We are fortunate that we are not in a flood zone as the level of water is controlled. That is, it is controlled so we don't flood but we sure need help from Mother Nature to bring those levels back up.
I second Ed Nailor.
Cheers,
Kathleen
Maybe we could send all the water south... we are all drowning in moisture! Science needs to find the way!
If I had a way to ship you just some of our rain I would, I'm rather sick of it! I think the idea of the tax probably is that if you are taxed extra on the amount you use, the less you will use it. Keep us informed on what your city decides to do, as you never know when our city may have a problem and we can come back to this for creative solutions.