North Carolina's 11 Thirstiest Towns Get Help to Find Water

The state has identified alternative water supplies that will help bring drinking water to these 11 communities during the even drier months of spring and summer.

Most of the projects would involve connecting systems that are at the greatest risk to another water system with water to share. Other systems could drill new wells or tap into nearby lakes, rivers or quarries.

"These 11 communities are the ones most likely to run out of water if the drought continues into the spring and summer," said Easley. "We helped them identify other water sources and now we are working with them to find the money to hook up so they will have enough water for the summer and beyond."

The drought has spread across the Southeast region, and is particularly difficult in North Carolina. To date, about 5.45 million people in North Carolina, or 80 percent of those served by water systems tracked by the state, are subject to either mandatory or voluntary water use restrictions.

At last month's Emergency Water Shortage Response Planning Workshop in Greensboro, Easley called on managers from the 30 most vulnerable water systems to find alternate water supplies, conduct water system audits and adopt conservation based rates to encourage citizens to conserve water.

Since then, Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials have worked with the 11 communities closest to running out of water to help them identify new sources. The department is now moving to assist the other 19 water systems.

The 11 water systems where alternative sources have been identified are - Bessemer City, Blowing Rock, Boone, Hendersonville, Lenoir, Marshall, Monroe, Robbinsville, Tryon, Valdese and Yadkinville.

• Bessemer City can access an interconnection from Gastonia.
• Boone and Blowing Rock can take advantage of a connection from Appalachian State University and new reservoir.
• Hendersonville, Lenoir and Valdese can each install an intake to a deeper inlet, while Monroe can have an inlet to a quarry.
• Marshall and Robbinsville can dig additional new wells.
• Tryon can have a temporary interconnection to Columbus, and a permanent connection to Hendersonville.
• Yadkinville can install an interconnection from Davie County.

Water system interconnection projects done last fall, with the state's assistance, include links between Siler City and Sanford and between Rocky Mount and Wilson.

Governor Easley reminded residents that scattered rainfall during the last few weeks has not slowed the drought's advance across the state, and he asked residents to do everything they can to save water.

The federal drought map released Thursday lists 67 counties listed in exceptional drought, the worst level. Twenty-five are in extreme drought and eight are in severe drought.

Four western counties; Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Transylvania, improved from exceptional to extreme drought.

One eastern county, Lenoir, worsened this week from extreme to exceptional drought.

Residents of areas that are classified as exceptional drought are requested to limit water usage to those uses that are essential to ensure public health and safety and to prepare for the likelihood of community water systems requiring water rationing.

Information about the drought in North Carolina, water conservation ideas along with video and audio drought busting tips are online at: www.ncdrought.org.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.