Local System Steps Up Water Restrictions

The restrictions will move to Stage 6 in the next 10 days unless there is significant rainfall, said Orange-Alamance Water System Engineer Paul Thames.

Orange-Alamance Water System Manager Sandra Faye Metcalf said the system purchased water from the town of Mebane and is working with another group to get more water, but she would not name that entity.

The Stage 6 restrictions will include the demand for individual water rationing. Officials are still debating how the rationing will be enforced and what exactly Stage 6 restrictions will entail.

One way to encourage water rationing is to set a base rate for the water consumption of households, said Thames. For example, if a household typically uses 10,000 gallons of water a month and Orange-Alamance Water System decides it wants to cut consumption by 50 percent, then it will set a base rate for 5,000 gallons a month for the household.

Any additional water use will be charged at a much higher rate.

A more extensive definition of Stage 6 restrictions will depend on officials to determine the specifics of the stage.

"I can't describe it because ... we've never (gone to Stage 6) before," said Metcalf.

Thames said that with the Lake Orange water level dropping at about an inch a day, approximately 100 days of water usage remain.

In these desperate conditions, businesses across the county are feeling the strain. Car washes have been shut down, and restaurants are trying to conserve water in any way they can.

Since outdoor use of water has been banned, Pizza Hut in Hillsborough has not been able to wash its parking lot, scrub the sidewalks or water the landscaping, manager Kay Nasseri said.

"We are just trying to comply with the restrictions," she said.

She said Pizza Hut is taking additional steps to preserve water, such as making sure the dishwasher is completely full before washing.

Bandido's Mexican Cafe and Cantina at 122 S. Churton St. in Hillsborough has also taken steps to do its share in conserving the area's water supply.

"Well, we haven't gone to paper plates yet but do only serve water on request," manager Lance Westerlund said.

Bandido's has also been using a bit of creativity in making every drop count.

"(Our employees) don't dump the water out every night; they've been putting them in the fridge for the next day," Westerlund said.

Metcalf said residents must grasp the importance of water conservation in this severe drought.

"People just really need to realize that this is for real," she said. "Water's very precious."

Assistant City Editor Michael Davis contributed to this story.

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.