John Zeugner, AICP
January 2008
What’s more Precious Than Oil, Yet We Pour It Down The Drains ?
The Paradox of Free Water and Rain
In November 2007, Gov Kaine sent a letter to all the Commonwealth’s local government managers, informing them that his Drought Monitoring Task Force had
recommended that all localities immediately update water conservation and drought contingency plans, and be prepared to implement them. Regional
climatologists and water managers have been closely monitoring streamflows, groundwater levels, precipitation deficits, and reservoir levels, with very disturbing findings.
It appears that current conditions are very similar to those of the Winter of 2001: groundwater levels
well below the normal range, precipitation levels in early 08 about 70% below the norm, and the
long-range monthly weather pattern predictions are for above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation.
You know how dangerous and destructive droughts are: wells and rivers run dry, fruit and vegetables die,
lifestock must be slaughtered, farms fail. Remember the fires in the tinder-box forests last year?
What do one fight them with?
In our urban areas, water will need to be rationed, trees die and lawns are a luxury we can no longer
afford, and our economic engine slows down - how severely remains to be seen. Dry heat buildup cooks
and desiccates our communities, demands more energy, brings brown-outs, exacerbates social angst and
kills the weak and elderly. It is ironic; on the east coast we’ve rarely had to worry about water – maybe
the days of abundant, almost free water are gone.
Yes, this is most likely the second decade of global warming, and the next will bring stresses and shortages
like never before. Today, who knows whether we can avert or mitigate the worst impacts, or are we too late?
Nevertheless, most smart folks realize that we can do small, incremental things now which can add up to make a
potentially catastrophic situation a little better, or start a paradigm shift.
In light of the predicted drought, and many localities encouraging (or requiring) water conservation,
you should look more closely at how much water you use, and how much you inadvertently waste. Like the new
lightbulbs, consider converting over to more efficient fixtures and appliances. Reuse and recycle
what you can - catch water you run while waiting for it to run hot. Retire the sprinkler and water
your gardens frugally. Rig up a rain barrel or two, let your clothes dry on a line (or in your house)
and do dishes by hand, the right way.
Investigate how you can capture rainfall and increase water percolation into the ground. Look at
incorporating Bayscaping, or green roofs, and push your localities to require buildings and parking
lots, businesses and developers to go “low impact” and conserve our precious natural resources.
Lastly, tell people you know that these climatic changes aren’t just flukes but real, accelerating
global warming, coming to permanently change our planet and perhaps radically change our affluent way of life.
Tell them it’s a wake-up bomb.
PS: Lots of info on the web about water use and conservation strategies. Pledge to implement three this summer. I do !