Water Worries

The southeast US was ground zero for diminished drinking water supplies in 2007. That was in due in large measure to a near record drought, but it was also exacerbated by unsustainable water use practices. There were numerous reports, for instance, of homeowners in Atlanta watering their lawns during the height of the dry spell.

Adding to the problem has been the explosive, unchecked growth of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Rather than acknowledge the inability of the environs to accommodate explosive growth, local officials have generally been willing to turn a blind eye to the coming disaster. One often wonders if things in Anne Arundel County are really so different.

In the southeast, having finally seen the handwriting on the wall, the Georgia legislature has finally approved a water management plan for the state. However, before the ink on the legislation was even dry, local parents and business interests starting pushing for an exemption from water restrictions for pools. Clearly, the seriousness of a drinking water shortage is lost on some people.

If we don't start managing our water resources more intelligently, and stop doing foolish things like storing our drinking water in open air reservoirs in arid climates, crystal clear pools and green golf courses are going to be the least of our worries.