Last week, armed with my umbrella, jacket and rain boots, I still managed to arrive at all of my classes completely drenched. Although I don’t miss having to avoid puddles on my way through the Brickyard, I do recognize the rain was much-needed. Unfortunately, that three-day downpour has not relieved us from drought; rather, it has washed the drought from the concerns of many in our Wolfpack family.
True, Raleigh did receive more rainfall last week than in all of August and September combined. The News & Observer also notes the newly enacted Stage Two water restrictions are not being enforced, thus overconsumption continues to threaten the city. In an e-mail sent by the Neuse River Foundation, Upper Neuse Riverkeeper Dean Naujoks estimates that there are less than 100 days of water left in the Falls Lake reservoir.
To me, that information is disconcerting. But, located in the heart of one of many dehydrated cities across the state, N.C. State appears unaffected. The Court of Carolinas proudly sports an emerald lawn while down the street, grass is decomposing into dust in the yards of irrigation-banned Raleigh homeowners.
On my way to class Wednesday, I passed two University employees planting flowers in front of the bookstore. According to Ryan Powell, education and outreach coordinator for the University’s waste reduction and recycling office, while Grounds Management would like to reduce water usage, the landscaping was per request of students and alumni. While these requests were probably made before the threat of a dry reservoir became a sinking reality, the importance of these requests and the administration continuing to execute them at such a high priority should be reassessed. Having a reliable drinking source should be valued higher than aesthetically pleasing areas on campus.
Earlier this semester, I had the pleasure of watching the victorious football game against Wofford from Chancellor James Oblinger’s suite in Vaughn Towers.
Since my visit, Chancellor Oblinger has made a few changes in his suite. Understanding the severity of the water situation, he had disposable plastic dishware replace the china that had always been used at the buffet during games. This went into effect at the Virginia game last Saturday and University Catering will now follow the same protocol for all future events.
Stephanie Parker, the chancellor’s communication assistant, explained this was just one of the chancellor’s steps to conserve water. Plans for water-friendly fixtures such as hand sanitizers and low-flow sink aerators in Vaughn Towers and on campus are being developed.
As esteemed students of NCSU, we should follow our chancellor’s lead and limit our daily usage of water.
Most of us have heard the “turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving” recommendation, but I’ve learned from talking to friends that carefree showering is a larger culprit. Schedule your gym time for early in the morning or later at night to eliminate the need for multiple showers each day. Many students have pledged in a Facebook group to take the “Five Minute Shower Challenge” and save gallons.
The drought is a problem that will take more than three days of rain to solve. It may take Falls Lake running dry to slap us in the faces and make us realize that we are all affected by this — let’s make sure Raleigh doesn’t go thirsty.
What are you doing to make sure Raleigh doesn’t go thirsty? Let us know at viewpoint@technicianonline.com.
