The News Review:

- Warming trend will affect water supply.(Conference notes)
- Wildlife consultant says Plateau needs better water planning
- Governor announces executive order to reduce state government water…
- Forum: University actively looking for additional ways to conserve…

Warming trend will affect water supply.(Conference notes)
Free with registration – Daily Oklahoman – AccessMyLibrary.com – Oct 25, 2007
(Conference notes) –> COPYRIGHT 2007 The Daily Oklahoman Byline: Julie Bisbee Oct. 25–The effects of climate change are real and need to be considered by officials formulating the state’s 50-year plan for water usage and supply, the state’s top climate official said. Oklahoma can expect to see longer hot spells, more frequent heat waves and short periods of cold weather, state Climatologist Ken Crawford told attendees at the Governor’s Water Conference and Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute on Thursday. Prolonged heat waves and dry periods will put additional stress on Oklahoma’s water resources. The Climatological.

Wildlife consultant says Plateau needs better water planning
Knoxville News Sentinel – Knoxville News Sentinel (subscription) – Oct 25, 2007
Monteagle’s water source, Laurel Lake Reservoir, is too low for anything but emergency use, and the city is buying all its drinking water from other districts. The shortage has forced the closing of an interstate rest stop for lack of water. State officials have said it’s hard to maintain an adequate water supply on the plateau even though most utility districts are interconnected and don’t have to rely on a single source. TDEC spokeswoman Tammy Heise said previously that when a water system proposes to serve a new development, overseers of that system are required to show that “their source and infrastructure are adequate to maintain a reliable drinking water supply that meets regulated standards.

Governor announces executive order to reduce state government water…
Citizen.com – The Citizen.com – Oct 25, 2007
âWhile the entire state of Georgia is feeling the pain of this historic drought, Georgia state government will lead by example in reducing all nonessential water use. We are further putting pressure on federal agencies by illustrating that Georgia is taking every possible step to conserve water. âGovernor Perdueâs executive order directs agency heads to develop plans to conserve water resources and save taxpayer dollars by using less water and using water more wisely. The order bans washing the state fleet vehicles, installing new landscaping at state facilities or power washing to clean state facilities. The order also directs agency heads to have facilities inspected for plumbing leaks and to optimize the recovery and utilization of condensate, where possible. Governor Perdueâs executive order is the latest step taken to help Georgians through the worst drought in the stateâs history. The northern third of Georgia is under Level 4 drought restrictions, or a complete outdoor watering ban…
Georgiaâs major federal reservoirs, such as West Point Lake and Lake Lanier, continue to dwindle as the U. Army Corps of Engineers sends billions of gallons of water downstream every day despite the impact it will have on Georgiaâs water supply and its citizens. Yesterday, Governor Sonny Perdue directed the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to modify current surface drinking water and groundwater withdrawal permits to achieve a 10 percent reduction in withdrawals when compared to last winter. The permit modifications apply to all non-farm permit holders in the 61 counties covered by the Level 4 drought designation. On Saturday, October 20, Governor Perdue signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 85 counties in Georgia due to the historic drought. Governor Perdue also sent a letter to President Bush outlining steps that the state has taken to minimize the impact of the drought, and emphasizing the increasingly severe threat to Georgia businesses, industry, economic stability and the health and safety of Georgia citizens.

Forum: University actively looking for additional ways to conserve…
Athens Banner-Herald (subscription) – Oct 25, 2007
2Athens Banner-HeraldAs the University of Georgia’s Advisory Task Force on Water Resources studies ways the university can reduce water consumption in both the short- and long-term, it is apparent that many important steps already have been implemented with positive results. For example, University Housing has replaced the majority of showerheads and toilets in the residence halls with low-flow alternatives, and the Physical Plant is nearly two-thirds of the way through a plan to install these water-saving devices in all resident instruction buildings. Also, the use of native plants in the landscaping requires less water. In addition, pressure washing is banned; campus fountains have been shut down; no vehicles are being washed except those which are refuse vehicles (for health concerns); and the campus grounds are not being watered, except for the reduced watering of athletic facilities and the golf course via water from retention ponds. While some of these measures are in direct response to the current drought, others have been in place for several years, long before the problem arose…
More significant savings are expected in October. In response to the severity of the situation, Provost Arnett Mace and Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Tim Burgess charged the Advisory Task Force on Water Resources earlier this month to suggest a plan for UGA’s water use. The charge to the task force is three-pronged: develop recommendations for ways that UGA can achieve significant reductions in its water use in the short-term (to reach a potential total reduction of 25 percent); recommend ways to conserve water over a sustained period; and recommend ways the university can increase its water supply, both in the short- and long-term. The task force will issue its report to the senior administration by mid-November. As part of its work and as part of a campaign to increase awareness of the critical need to reduce water consumption, the task force held a public forum for the campus community Tuesday in the Chapel on North Campus.