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Articles
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| Council of Governments declares drought watch |
VOICE writes, "Council of Governments declares drought watch
BY GUY LOGAN
The recent spate of dry weather has led the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to declare a regional drought watch, urging residents to curb their water use voluntarily.
According to Stuart Freudberg, the council’s director of environmental programs, this is a precautionary move that could end in as early as two weeks or drag out as long as into February.
“At the absolute minimum it would be two weeks,” said Freudberg. “But it will likely persist further into the fall, maybe another two months. It could end quickly with enough rain, but we’re not expecting anything unusual. "
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“In the fall, people use less water outside,” he continued. “You have less water, so later in October, the Potomac’s levels might go up a bit. If we can get through the next month or so, it should alleviate, and we should see some rain.”
The watch is the second stage of the regional drought response plan, which was adopted seven years ago following the severe drought of 1999. Officials say there is an adequate amount of water in the District’s main supply, the Potomac River, but point out several outlying systems, notably in Loudoun County and Manassas in Virginia, which are in the grip of a much harsher dry spell.
Some of the tips advised by the Council of Governments require bringing in a plumber, but many can be done without professional help.
“The biggest concern for people in the city is indoor plumbing that’s leaking,” Freudberg said. “This is a perfect time to fix your toilet or sink, or any fixtures that have any kind of leak, as it wastes a tremendous amount of water. Some folks in D.C. who have a lawn and a variety of plants, we urge them to use a bucket and water manually, and not just leave a hose running. And obviously, shorter showers are also a good idea.”
Other recommendations from the Council of Governments’ “Wise Water Use” Web site include ensuring that all outdoor spigots are winterized in order to prevent pipes from freezing, bursting and losing water; insulating hot-water pipes to reduce the amount of water that must be run in order to get hot water to the faucet; and minimizing water use when brushing teeth and shaving.
Freudberg noted that while raising the cost per gallon of water has not been officially introduced, it has not been ruled out either.
“In other parts of the country, an increased cost for water is in effect, but for the moment, not here in D.C,” Freudberg said. “Some local governments charge a higher rate for an increased use of water, but on a larger scale, and in the near future, I say it’s unlikely.”
There have been few studies conducted on the potential impact of global warming on the Potomac River system.
“There’s been very little analysis on what might happen to Potomac in climate change,” Freudberg said. “We know what would happen if we had a much drier situation in June of a particular year ... and with backup reservoirs in western Maryland and Manassas, we know we could get through a very dry summer with only some degree of greater restrictions.”
A release of 200 million gallons from the Jennings Randolph reservoir in western Maryland on Sunday is designed to help the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers test how long it takes to join the Potomac area basin for future reference. The reservoir, along with one built in Manassas, is designed to alleviate strain on the Potomac during times of drought. Officials from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin predict there is only a minuscule chance — 1 percent — of the city needing to tap those resources in the coming months.
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Posted on Oct 09, 2007 13:34pm.
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