Easley: Conserve more water

bkrueger — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:18:26 -0400

Gov. Mike Easley asked communities and individuals today to step up water conservation by taking steps ranging from ceasing all outdoor watering to turning off the faucet when brushing teeth.

Easley said he did not want to invoke his emergency powers to require water rationing. Instead, he said, local public officials should respond to the problem themselves to avoid running out of water.

"There's a solution to this problem," Easley said, addressing local officials at a conference of the N.C. League of Municipalities. "We can either create more water or we can use less. I don't know about you, but I cannot make it rain."

He warned that without greater conservation, some industries could be forced to close, throwing people out of work.

Siler City in Chatham County, for instance, faces the possible closure of two industries, which would mean the loss of 1,700 jobs, Easley said. The town has 80 days worth of water remaining, and officials there have asked people to cut water use by at least 50 percent.

"This drought is unprecedented, and the action I'm going to ask you to take has so far been unprecedented," Easley said. "I call on you to be decisive, to show your leaderships, to stand up and lead by example and to ask every member of your community to do more."

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Easley: Conserve more water