2 The Tar He! Thursday, July 21, 1977
enact
imit 'water use
w
1
By JUDITH TILLMAN
Staff Writer
An ordinance placing restrictions on .
water consumption in Chapel Hill iwas
approved 6 to 1 by the town's Board ; of :
Aldermen at a special meeting Monday
night. ;
The ordinanceeffective as of 8:00 p.ml
Tuesday, July 19, prohibits watering lawns,
shrubbery and flower and vegetable gardens
except from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on
Saturdays. Water flow into swimming pools
must be reduced to the minimum necessary
to maintain operation. Water-cooled air
conditioners and other equipment that does
not recycle water may not be used except
when necessary to health and safety.
Washing motor vehicles, including use of
commercial car washes, is also prohibited.
Water may not be used to wash outside areas
such as sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Its
use in decorative fountains, pools, and
ponds is banned.
Restaurants may serve water only on
request while the ordinance is in effect.
Those who violate the provisions of the
ordinance will be charged with a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not
more than $50 or imprisonment of not more
than 30 days.
The ordinance is based on a conservation
plan prepared for the Orange Water and
Sewer Authority (OWASA) by Daniel K.
Okun, Kenan professor of environmental
science at the UNC School of Public Health.
It outlines five stages of restrictions on water
use which are based on the level of U niversity
Lake, Chapel Hill's only reservoir. The
restrictions which went into effect Tuesday
are in accord with stage two of the plan, the
warning stage. Okun's report said that stage
two restrictions should be used when the lake
level fell to 48 inches below its normal level
of 349 feet above sea level. The lake is now 57
inches below normal.
"We're trying to implement what Dan
Okun calls drought management," said
Alderman Jonathan Howes, "We don't
know much about it and we're learning some
very hard lessons this year."
Restrictions on water use will become
more severe if the lake level continues to
drop. Stage three would be effected if the
lake fell to 72 inches below normal. No lawn
watering would be permitted, while the
restrictions of stage two would remain in
effect.
If the lake drops to 96 inches below the top
of the dam (the emergency stage), all
outdoor uses of water would be banned
except in situations involving firefighting. It
would be illegal to operate air conditioners
that recycle water except during business
hours. Ail water flow to swimming pools will
be stopped.
Stage five of the ordinance, the crisis
stage, would be enacted if University Lake
reached a level of 132 inches below full.
Water would be rationed to provide minimal
quantities required to maintain citizens'
health and safety.
Stage one of the plan calls for voluntary
reduction of water consumption when the
Continued from page 4.
for 1977-78. The town had planned for
$400,000 in bus payments from UNC for
1977-78, an increase from the $366,200 paid
last year.
But Jones offered only $338,409 for the
upcoming year, the same percentage (37.5)
of the total budget UNC paid last year.. .
UNC's proposed cuts took town officials
by surprise. According to town officials, the
University early this year said that UNC
would increase payments "up to $400,000" to
help cover inflation.
But the University cut its proposed
payment on the assumption that reduced
service is cause for reduced payment.
The town contends that the cuts in the bus
budget affect only bus service to
townspeople and not University personnel
Town officials emphasized that point in a
meeting with University officials last
Thursday.
Under the compromise, UNC would pay
$366,200 and the town would pay the rest of
UNCs projected $400,000 share of the bus
budget.
lake is at 36 inches below its normal level.
Alderman R. D. Smith voted against the
ordinance because he does not think it is
strict enough. "We have passed the warning
stage; and should be- using emergency
restrictions now," he said.
' Chapel Hill's water shortage is more
critical this year than it was in 1976 because
of a lack of rain, unusually high
temperatures, an increase in water
consumption, and Durham's inability to sell
as much water as it has in the past.
Durham's supply is taxed to the point that
they just can't supply us with very much,"
said Alderman Howes. "We'll barely be able
to purchase an average of one million gallons
a day. We're looking at short-run
possibilities such as the Eno River."
Durham sold Chapel Hill one to three
million gallons of water daily from August to
November, 1976.
H owes also said that OWASA is trying to
speed up action on7 the Cane Creek
reservoir proposal. Residents of the Cane
Creek area have opposed the plan which is
now in the hands of the courts.
Mayor Wallace added that he hopes
OWASA is moving ahead with rationing
facilities. "I think it's coming sooner than we
realize," he said. "I think it will be necessary
this summer."
TOOOHq-.V. .yirm-1- " " """" ''""'-''-"""'"'a,"y,'"
L PI....P A Q...7 Is F...W A m
or CA qc ..net:
f .r a Wr i....jr.. rt.in r If I
THE WATER CRISIS v
lit-
mm
The Board of Aldermen acted Monday night on an ordinance that will put into effect
restrictions on water use in Chapel Hill. Photo by L. C. Barbour.
The Aldermen urged citizens to conserve
water as much as possible. "We need an
extensive campaign to get the message to
citizens that the situation is very, very
crucial," said Alderman Gerry Cohen.
"People can cut water consumption
dramatically without altering their
standards of living. If they don't, they're
going to alter it seriously very soon."
UNC announced voluntary conservation
efforts last week, but there has been no
discussion among University officials on the
possibility of delaying the start of the fall
semester on account of the water shortage.
Students will be returning to Chapel Hill
during the last week in August.
A NORTH CAROLINA STYLE DELI
Choose from over 40 items
Three types of fresh crisp lettuce, fresh
mushrooms, croutons, grated cheeses,
peanuts, fresh cauliflower,
ham , shrimp, sardines, cottage cheese,
sunflower seeds, broccoli,
and topped with a i
homemade dressina!
Try thlstrulaoihytrlng
salad Iba'rW
Wednesdpiy.ttfsc or Friday Onlu
v for oniijft
,'f 1
Downstairs in the 861
Next to the Yogurt Barn
126 E. Franklin St.