Mitch Russell
Based on information from The Weather Channel website, the Asheville Airport received less than an inch of rain during April, putting us perilously close to a mini-drought. We were well above average for January with a surplus of almost 3 inches and a few tenths above for February, but March and April virtually wiped out the surplus. Despite the showers on May 1 and 2, we could soon be in a deficit.
I checked with Leslie Carreiro, Superintendent of Water Production/Water Quality with the City of Asheville Water Resources Department, and she provided the following example.
“During a precipitation event (say a summer rain shower), 66% of the total precipitation that falls will be evaporated from soil, surface water, and plant life, [while] 34% of the precipitation will enter and remain in soil and surface water for some period of time. The important thing to remember is that of the 34% which remains, only a very small percentage is available for use in the short term, so conservation and wise use of the resource is paramount for the good of us all.”
Thirty-four percent isn’t much. As Ms. Carreiro suggests, conservation and wise use are paramount to insure that we all have water at the end of the day.
How do we conserve and make wise use? Here are some suggestions that will save water and money.
- Take shorter showers and baths.
- Cut off water while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing hands. Apply soap and scrub hands with water, then wash off soap.
- Wash vehicles at a car wash that recycles and reuses water, such as Classie at 667 Merrimon.
- Install rain barrels or use buckets to catch rainwater.
- Don’t water after 11 a.m. Water evaporates faster during the middle and at the end of the day.
- Spot water lawns and gardens instead of using a sprinkler.
- Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes.
- When hand washing dishes, turn off the water while scrubbing.
- Consider low-flow toilets (1.6 gallons, 1.28 gallons, or 1 gallon per flush versus 3.5 gallons) and showers (2 gallons per minute versus 5 gallons).
- Plant drought-resistant species.
