Water Restrictions: More to Come?

We woke up to rain this morning, and as far as I'm concerned it can rain every night for the next several months. Last fall Loudoun County imposed outdoor watering restrictions due to the low water levels in Beaverdam Creek Reservoir, which provides water for much of the county. The reservoir, which is fed by the Potomac River and Goose Creek, dropped into drought emergency levels after months of little rainfall.

It got a bit ugly after the voluntary watering restrictions became mandatory. Loudoun residents complained about the various HOA's watering the common areas when they were not allowed to water their own lawns, only to learn that several of the neighborhoods had wells for irrigation purposes. One of my neighbors was questioned in Costco when she bought some autumn perennials to plant. "But we're under watering restrictions," the person said to her. We watched our own lawn fade to brown, knowing there was nothing we could do. We had our tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in pots last year, so we could water with a three-gallon can and keep them barely alive. But this year we have planned raised beds so that we can grow more of our own produce, and I'm not looking forward to potentially more drought.

As of today, the reservoir is a little over half full and mandatory water restrictions were lifted a few weeks ago, though the Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (soon to be Loudoun Water) asks residents to conserve water by adopting a fixed watering schedule of just two days per week. I can live with that, but there are money who don't want to restrict watering. Lots of money is spent on lawn care in this area, and people don't want to see their investments burn up. Hefty fines keep most people from violating the restrictions, but there are always a few who try to buck the system.

Loudoun has been one of the fastest growing counties in the country for several years, causing many to question if there was adequate resource planning during the construction boom. Were plans made for additional water sources to support population growth? I can't seem to find any information on that, which makes me wonder. And it makes me a little angry to think that no thought was given to this important issue.

I would hate to see this region suffer the problems that Atlanta is experiencing with water supplies.  Personally I don't have a problem with letting the lawn go if absolutely necessary, despite what the HOA may mandate, but because we grow vegetables and herbs in our backyard and that is part of our family's food supply I don't want to lose the our edible garden. The good news is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) recent drought forecast predicts easing of drought conditions for our area over the next three months, but other parts of the Southeast are not so lucky. If drought conditions persist in this area, residents may investigate the feasibility of digging wells to keep their landscaping and edible gardens alive.

Loudoun County Sanitation Authority provides water for eastern Loudoun and many small hamlets and villages throughout the county. Their website contains lots of great information about water services, drought conditions, water conservation tips, and even online and offline kids educational activities. I just ordered a free packet of materials to share with my children and teach them about water conservation.

Original DC Metro Moms Blog post.

Andrea writes about her adventures in the kitchen at Andrea's Recipes. She is also the founder of the monthly food blogging event Grow Your Own.