Water shortage question

[Jaimecbr900]

The question is:

What are you willing to do to save water?

I know the peanut gallery is probably going to come in and give some crazy ideas, but I was just wondering what everyone thought would be some ways people would be willing to sacrifice if we keep going the way we are with the water situation.

Discuss.



BTW, on a serious tip, according to the latest reports Lake Lanier has only 81 more days of water capacity. That's it. The Governor is finally filing a lawsuit to stop the draining of the lake down river to other states (about damn time if you ask me), which may be too little too late. Also heard on the news this morning that Douglas Co. is NOT giving even a single warning if you're caught water outside. 1st offense is auto water cutoff and $1000 to reconnect.

[Jaimecbr900]

Another question:



Why is it so important to some people to have pretty green grass regardless of the drought situation? I mean, you see it and hear about it every day just about.....people that STILL water their lawn regardless of water restrictions.....hell, ask Brett and Leisa who have a neighbor like that.

What is so absolutely important about watering the grass??



Discuss.

[Leadfoot_mf]

i dont know about the lawn ****. i never understood why you would pay money to water grass unless you were making money from it.

[Nemesis]

This reminds me guys, when are we organizing a car wash meet.

[Sammich]

truth...im not in ATL..but i'd be pissing outside and buy some quick detailer to reduce carwashing

[WickedIXMR]

usually whenever i get home i park my car and as soon as i get out i just take a piss right there so i guess that saves a lot of water if you think about it

true story

[Stormhammer]

Well, the water situation is understandable due to the nature of the survival of an endangered species, mussel or not, it is our responsibility per say to ensure their survival

As for the lawn, well, if you let the grass die completely, it'll stay dead and then you have to spend $$$$ to recut and resow your lawn

As for how I save water? Minimize going outside to minimize sweat to minimize taking showers. Waiting till my gut hurts from constipation before taking a crap. Drinking bottled water. Microwaveable meals so no dishes to clean. Wait till it rains to wash my car.

[Sammich]

As for the lawn, well, if you let the grass die completely, it'll stay dead and then you have to spend $$$$ to recut and resow your lawn

whats ur point..u can always paint it green lol

[Jaimecbr900]

This reminds me guys, when are we organizing a car wash meet.

Actually not a bad idea. That's really the only place we're SUPPOSED to wash our cars right now anyway, right?

Well, the water situation is understandable due to the nature of the survival of an endangered species, mussel or not, it is our responsibility per say to ensure their survival

I have a big problem with this. Why should we suffer ourselves when this mussel may very well die off naturally soon enough anyway? So then, no mussels and no water too? Personally, we should think rationally. If we keep draining the only source of water to save some mussels, is it a smart decision? In my book it's assenine. Thousands of animals have become extinct over the years. We are still here and surviving without them. Why would some mussels be any different? Why would some owls? Why would some fish? I mean, we can live without mussels, but will die without water. How's saving them over us make any sense at all? It's not like they control vermin populations that eat our food supply, right? It's not like they could feed the hungry masses, right? They serve generally no public purpose, yet we are using the public's water supply to keep them alive while we all are asked to pee outside and not take showers. How's that make any common sense?

[Stormhammer]

Actually not a bad idea. That's really the only place we're SUPPOSED to wash our cars right now anyway, right?



I have a big problem with this. Why should we suffer ourselves when this mussel may very well die off naturally soon enough anyway? So then, no mussels and no water too? Personally, we should think rationally. If we keep draining the only source of water to save some mussels, is it a smart decision? In my book it's assenine. Thousands of animals have become extinct over the years. We are still here and surviving without them. Why would some mussels be any different? Why would some owls? Why would some fish? I mean, we can live without mussels, but will die without water. How's saving them over us make any sense at all? It's not like they control vermin populations that eat our food supply, right? It's not like they could feed the hungry masses, right? They serve generally no public purpose, yet we are using the public's water supply to keep them alive while we all are asked to pee outside and not take showers. How's that make any common sense?

Because we can survive without luxury commodities. We can ultimately have water pumped in and have energy diverted towards us when that lake dries up. Those mussels need the water to survive. I can see your point in that they might die off naturally, but its hard to throw in the natural factor due to Buford Dam, Lake Lanier, and a lot of other man made obstructions that could throw a wrench in the gears of how mother nature's system works - and far be it from me being a biologist, but there is a possibility of those mussels having a significant impact on the ecosystem it lives in etc etc - so thats simply why, we have the means to still have water and power, but we also technically control a significant means of survival for a species

[Leisa]

Ya know.. I am one of those people who strive to have the prettiest and greenest yard on the block... but come on, I know better than to water my lawn when somewhere soon down the road I wont have any water to drink.

I find it ridiculous that people are not taking this situation anymore serious than what they do..Do they not realize the devastation of it all?

[silver]

I have already started doing little things like making sure I turn off the water when brushing my teeth, making sure I have full loads of laundry and even combing stuff I normally wouldnt, washing bigger dishes by hand so I can fit more in the dishwasher, lol, not flushing the toilet every single time if im just peeing, these are just things that I try to think about cause the whole idea of having indoor restrictions is kinda scary to me... the possibility of running out of water is just freaky..

What do you think are some other ways to conserve water? Maybe taking baths instead of showers??

[Blitanicle99]

My family lives in Marietta but I live in south ga (Statesboro) and I honestly dont see the restriction signs and all that. I went home last weekend and I saw no watering 24-7 signs everywhere, those trucks driving around monitoring it. But down here... either they dont give a damn or we just dont have the ban since we are 45 minutes from the ocean.

But with the whole discussion thing. I have a huge problem with the idea that we might run out of water to save a mussel. Alright Im down with helping the envioment and all that but last time I check humans were definately the dominant species. We must survive, and we will survive.

Is GA the only state doing this? If not, why do they not give GA a break, we are almost dry. Take water from another state. This is getting ridiculous.

[Stormhammer]

Is GA the only state doing this? If not, why do they not give GA a break, we are almost dry. Take water from another state. This is getting ridiculous.

We're the only state I believe that is having a drought at the moment, but other states that have drought seasons ( like California ) definitely instill seriously strict water laws

The reason why I support the letting the water go is that in the meantime, it could start raining again, and we can always have water come in by other means. I mean regardless, if that lake dries out in the end, you've killed off a species and we still will have to import water and power, whereas if you let the water run and instill water restrictions, it could rain, raise the levels, everything goes back to being peachy. It's all about risk management, and what would ultimately be the best overall outcome even if there is some discomfort in a day to day life.

As for Statesboro, yeah, the ocean helps, as well as having water systems that don't feed an entire metro area the size of Atlanta...

[Jecht]

Well we would not have this problem if it weren't for all the people that moved here within the last ten years. We already had water shortage problems, and Atlanta's uncontrolled growth is the main reason we are in such a rut.

In other words, new people GTFO!

[Stormhammer]

Well we would not have this problem if it weren't for all the people that moved here within the last ten years. We already had water shortage problems, and Atlanta's uncontrolled growth is the main reason we are in such a rut.

Technically that's very true. Buford Dam and Lake Lanier were created to only support a certain mass load, same with the highways and interchanges which now are starting to expand and change due to the unforseen population growth ( think of the 316/85 merge, that's due to the unforseen population growth )

If not for the uncontrolled growth, its for the lack of creating more reserves to support such a largely growing population

[civic95]

I'm willing to donate a saturday to help the water dept repair some of the 700+ leaks (that's just inside the perimeter) in Atlanta's water main system. I already sent them an e-mail saying I'd help, but got no response. I guess they don't really care so why should I? I mean I could help stand around and entertain the 5 guys that watch the other guy with the shovel.

[Maniaç]

Im willing to take a shower every two days.

[Sammich]

thats an improvement...dont u take one every month now??

[Maniaç]

Dude, why do you always follow me and post dumb shit like that? This isn't a thread you can come in and whore up, act your age for once. And, if I wanted to, I could say alot of things about black people and not taking showers, so shut up and jump off of my nuts.

[Jaimecbr900]

Because we can survive without luxury commodities.

Water is a luxury commodity??? To drink? To cook with? To bathe with?

I don't know in your house, but in mine eating and bathing are REQUIREMENTS..... Certainly a heck of a lot more important than if a mussel lives or dies.

We can ultimately have water pumped in and have energy diverted towards us when that lake dries up.

Exactly how are you going to pump water back into Lake Lanier? It's not like our water system is designed to retrieve water for multiple locations. It is designed to get water from the designated sources. So you're either going to have fill up Lake Lanier back up to where the water can be drawn from there or fill up any other emergency reservoirs that are already connected to the water system.

Those mussels need the water to survive.

So? We do too. Why are they, who serve absolutely no purpose, any more important than us?

and far be it from me being a biologist, but there is a possibility of those mussels having a significant impact on the ecosystem it lives in etc etc - so thats simply why, we have the means to still have water and power, but we also technically control a significant means of survival for a species

Well, you can't have it both ways. One way you say that we are killing the mussels with our man made things and interfering with "mother nature", yet in the next sentence you say we (men with our man made things) should intervene and protect something that otherwise would go extinct.

Personally, I'd like to challenge anyone anywhere to show me how those mussels that do nothing and produce nothing do in fact pose some kind of absolutely necessary function in the eco system of any environment that has ANY impact on us as human beings. Not even the Corps of Engineers has been able to do that so far, so I'm pretty sure no "biologist" will either.

I just don't see or understand why millions of people should be made to suffer because of some mussels that do nothing. It makes no sense at all. I could understand it if the water was going to irrigate a huge food supply that would go to feed all of us, but mussels???? That are about to be extinct anyway??? Kidding, right?

[Stormhammer]

I can't give a professional biologist answer here, but having both classes in oceanography and just doing a quick google search, mussel beds are nurseries for fish, and are essentially the intertidal community and are the mainstay reason for metabolic and productivity in the intertidal zones ( because of mussels )

And just like how we can export water, you can also import water to supply a city - I never said refilling Lanier back up, I just said import a water supply so that people can still cook and bathe on a ration system till the rain comes. You can always drink bottled water. In fact, Coca-Cola imports thousands upon thousands of gallons of water daily in from Alabama from artesian wells.

Mussels do serve a purpose, they're the base to a very large ecosystem.

[Stormhammer]

What is an interesting ( and odd fact ) is that the Engineer Corps has been letting out twice as much water as there is coming into the reservoir

[civic95]

What is an interesting ( and odd fact ) is that the Engineer Corps has been letting out twice as much water as there is coming into the reservoir

And even more interesting is that the 700+ leaks are probably letting out more than that (and that's clean drinkable water that we've wasted electricity to treat only to have it run back underground)

[Vuongy_Dong]

Lake Lanier is not 81 days from being completely gone. what they meant is, its 81 days from being below the pumps that are used to pull water from the lake. they dont pull water from the bottom of the lake, more towards the top. if it dips below the pumps, they have to add more pumps and treat the water that is being pulled from the bottom.

[.blank cd]

The mussels that they dont want extinct also filter the water of stuff you dont want to eat or drink. They are there for a purpose. but the Environmental Protection Division has been going about this whole watering ban the wrong way. The current chair, Carol Couch is getting replaced at the end of the year. These people are allowing water to be sold to parts of Alabama from Lanier and/or Allatoona and apparently they're not on as tight restrictions as we are. THAT is what we need to be rationing.

[Stormhammer]

Lake Lanier is not 81 days from being completely gone. what they meant is, its 81 days from being below the pumps that are used to pull water from the lake. they dont pull water from the bottom of the lake, more towards the top. if it dips below the pumps, they have to add more pumps and treat the water that is being pulled from the bottom.

True, they were saying at the end of the 3 months they might be bringing in barges with pumps and have to perform additional treatment just to be safe to make sure the water is potable

[NEONRACER]

This problem has nothing to do with mussles, gulf Sturgeon or any other living species. Florida has been fighting in court for 10+ years to get GA to increse water flow on the hooch. They lost every case they brought before the court until they used the endangered species defense. Due to federal law GA was required to supply the river system with more water. They used the mussles and gulf sturgeon as an excuse.

They needed the higher water level to float barges farther up river and to supply a power plant just below lake seminole with more water. They did not want to invest the money to extend the water intake pipes for the coal burning power plant. They just figure out a way to raise the water and not spend the milions of dollors on the upgrades.

This is not a new issue but Florida finally won the battle. Everyone blames the Corps of Engineers but they have their hands tied by federal law. The environmentalists are the real bad guys here. This problem also affects Lake West Point as well. Hopefully they will pull the exemption on car washes and shut them down during this crisis. What people aren't talking about is the long term affects this will have a Lanier. The water level has been lower then this before by almost 5 feet. The difference is we did not have the processed water being dumped into Lanier. At some point in the near future the ratio of clean water to processed water will no longer be safe to drink. Depending on how long this lasts this ratio will only get worse.

The environmentalists say we can lose the Surgeon or mussles which really have not use as far as food goes. What about the damage this low water will do the fish in Lake Lanier and West Point? During the last drought the largemouth bass population took a big hurting because it spawning habitat was high and dry. Now we have even lower water levels and the increase polution into the lake. Nobody can say what is going to happen to any of the fih species inthe lake. Again this was never aobut the endangered species, they were just the means of for Florida to get what they want.

[1000cckiller]

usually whenever i get home i park my car and as soon as i get out i just take a piss right there so i guess that saves a lot of water if you think about it

true story

that was stupid

[RandomGuy]

stop showering/ bathing...

when u get to be my size

problem SOLVED w00t

[1000cckiller]

what counties recieve their water from lanier?

[On_Her_Face]

i stopped shaving.

[Jaimecbr900]

This problem has nothing to do with mussles, gulf Sturgeon or any other living species. Florida has been fighting in court for 10+ years to get GA to increse water flow on the hooch. They lost every case they brought before the court until they used the endangered species defense. Due to federal law GA was required to supply the river system with more water. They used the mussles and gulf sturgeon as an excuse.

They needed the higher water level to float barges farther up river and to supply a power plant just below lake seminole with more water. They did not want to invest the money to extend the water intake pipes for the coal burning power plant. They just figure out a way to raise the water and not spend the milions of dollors on the upgrades.

This is not a new issue but Florida finally won the battle. Everyone blames the Corps of Engineers but they have their hands tied by federal law. The environmentalists are the real bad guys here. This problem also affects Lake West Point as well. Hopefully they will pull the exemption on car washes and shut them down during this crisis. What people aren't talking about is the long term affects this will have a Lanier. The water level has been lower then this before by almost 5 feet. The difference is we did not have the processed water being dumped into Lanier. At some point in the near future the ratio of clean water to processed water will no longer be safe to drink. Depending on how long this lasts this ratio will only get worse.

The environmentalists say we can lose the Surgeon or mussles which really have not use as far as food goes. What about the damage this low water will do the fish in Lake Lanier and West Point? During the last drought the largemouth bass population took a big hurting because it spawning habitat was high and dry. Now we have even lower water levels and the increase polution into the lake. Nobody can say what is going to happen to any of the fih species inthe lake. Again this was never aobut the endangered species, they were just the means of for Florida to get what they want.

That is exactly 100% correct. This is why I was saying that even the environmentalist can't really justify any real valid reason to do this, yet the Federal gov't is letting them because they classified something.....it could be anything....as an "endangered" species. It's as simple as that. The same Federal laws that protect mussels should have provisions for when this happens. At some point, even the Federal gov't has to make a decision that favors the masses and not just a few squeaky wheels.

[VooDooXII]

My car is dirty as hell, and the grass at my parents' house is a mess. I've been trying to take a shorter shower each day...but I do drink a lot of water.

[Stormhammer]

At some point, even the Federal gov't has to make a decision that favors the masses and not just a few squeaky wheels.

You might be surprised that even in that situation the Federal gov't would still attemp to save those squeaky wheels, maybe WD40 them

[Crazy Asian]

**** jeez..but here's my question why does Alabhama need water when they got the misissippi river near by?

[ISAtlanta300]

I stopped peeing in the toilet and just pee in the yard... water the plants and some fertilization..... lol