crosspost: Tennessee town has run out of water

Two threads on this in GD (one seems to have been moved from LBN).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2187084
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2186694

Tennessee town has run out of water
Source: Charlotte Observer

ORME, Tenn. --As twilight falls over this Tennessee town, Mayor Tony Reames drives up a dusty dirt road to the community's towering water tank and begins his nightly ritual in front of a rusty metal valve.

With a twist of the wrist, he releases the tank's meager water supply, and suddenly this sleepy town is alive with activity. Washing machines whir, kitchen sinks fill and showers run.

About three hours later, Reames will return and reverse the process, cutting off water to the town's 145 residents.

The severe drought tightening like a vise across the Southeast has threatened the water supply of cities large and small, sending politicians scrambling for solutions. But Orme, about 40 miles west of Chattanooga and 150 miles northwest of Atlanta, is a town where the worst-case scenario has already come to pass: The water has run out.

The mighty waterfall that fed the mountain hamlet has been reduced to a trickle, and now the creek running through the center of town is dry.

Read more: http://www.charlotte.com/nation/story/344047.html

Since things move off LBN very quickly, I would have missed this.

As for the people there in Orme, I truly feel for them. This should be news on every major media outlet - the big 3 should converge on them and let the residents tell the country what it's like to live like they're almost in Baghdad. With no plans in place, are we seeing a preview of Atlanta here in Orme? With Orme only having 145 residents versus - what, 5 million in Atlanta? - I don't see the big city going along as easily or quietly.

:scared:

Not hardly, try about 486,00 and some change. The entire population of Georgia is less than 5 million!

I thought Atlanta was one of the biggest cities in the States.

Thanks for the correction.

Atlanta metro is 3.5 million (11 counties), all served by the same water sources. Georgia has 9.3 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13000.html

Why didn't we see politicians planning for water shortages 5 years ago. We have no leaders in our government. This is a serious issue that has been on the horizen for years. It is too late to scramble for solutions, now. Lake Lanier is down to about an 80 day supply---it serves over 3 million. What we will be facing in the coming months is not something that can be fixed or dealt with in months.

They really screwed us over. Alabama and Florida are battling and will probably sue Georgia. Georgia is threatening to take more of NC's water. NC vowed a legal fight if that happens. The Southeast's Water Wars may be starting.

Land use planning (what there is of it) in the South East can only be described as pathetic.

Libertarian sort of deal, from what I can tell- and it's going to come back to haunt the region in more ways than one.

Definitely NOT a place I'd want to be in the coming decade(s).

1) Suppose a local politician were actually aware of the looming water problem, and actually wanted to "plan" for it.

2) There is a pretty short list of things you can really "do" about preserving water supply, and all of them add up to one thing: Saying "no" to the very very very powerful housing/construction lobby.

3) So, our well-meaning politician tries to implement some plan that involves curtailing housing/construction, or otherwise making their lives either a little or a lot harder.

4) His political opponents (probably backed by the housing/construction lobby) immediately tar him with the super-toxic tag "anti-growth!!11!1!" Thus rendering him impotent, and destroying his chances for (re)election.

5) The voters don't have our hero's back either. They hear "anti-growth" and stay away from him in droves. Because growth is good! And anybody who opposes growth is bad, and probably wants the terrorists to win!

This is by no means a "southern" thing. As far as I can tell, this dynamic contributes to the politics of every local government in America, on up to the white house.

taking on the housing lobby. BTW, thanks for the answer. You are right about all the local politicians loving growth.

But, they could have recommended or started water recycling programs and promoted individual conservation. I know that isn't the kind of thing that most voters or lobbyist would worry about, and I guess that's what disappoints me.