Habersham County, Georgia: Every Drop Counts!

Did you know that one third of the world's population lives in areas of moderate to severe water shortage? And that, 25 years from now, the amount of water available to every individual on earth may be half of what it is today? In some areas of the world, the water available has already fallen to one tenth what it was in 1950. Or that of the three percent of Earth's water that is fresh, only a portion is easily accessible?

For five years of drought, Georgia residents also were concerned about having an adequate water supply. In many areas mandatory water restrictions have been lifted. But what about the future? Is there any way to minimize the impact of later water shortages? Yes -- by keeping in mind the principle: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

To conserve our water supply, Georgia has established outdoor water use restrictions. Restrictions may be imposed, eliminated, or changed at any time. Please be sure to contact the city, county, or state government to get current watering rules in your area.
In Habersham County, a Level 4 Drought Response became effective in May 2008. Below are the restrictions for hand watering in our county:

Odd-numbered addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays
Even-numbered addresses water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays

For more information, go to the Drought in Georgia web site and read the following sections:

Water Restrictions Announcement
List of Questions and Answers (includes exemptions)
Coping on Less Water

Additional restrictions* may be imposed by cities and counties.

Using water prudently in order to conserve it as much as possible requires our cooperation. How can we help? The following are some suggestions:

Observe state, county, and city water use regulations
Fix leaky faucets, toilets, and pipes
Install toilets and shower heads that use less water
When washing dishes by hand, don't let water run continuously
When washing hands, face, or teeth, turn off the water until it is time to rinse
Make sure the dishwasher is full before turning it on
Reduce the time spent in the shower or reduce the amount of water used (or both)
When it does rain, catch the rain water and use that to water outdoor plants
If you hand-wash dishes, save the rinse water

Each one of us can make a difference. Every drop of water saved counts!

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