Lifted Restrictions Aid Local Businesses

Ed Kerwin, executive director of OWASA, said the businesses most directly affected by the restrictions were landscapers, plant retailers and car washes.

Although OWASA took these concerns into consideration when re-evaluating the restrictions, Kerwin said it was important to make decisions based on what was best for the overall community.

"We were aware of (the businesses' concerns) and considered them, but we were primarily guided by making sure the community didn't run out of water," he said.

Carolina Car Wash & Detail Inc. was able to handle the drought restrictions with relative ease thanks to its access to a well.

"We didn't change things much," said store manager Ricky Calderon. "We will stay with the well for a while and see what happens."

Calderon said that he thought OWASA handled the drought well and that he had no complaints about the restrictions.

"They came and checked the well every week and did everything they should have," he said.

Mike Dickinson, co-owner of Dickinson Garden Center, said his business suffered quite a bit because of the drought restrictions. "It was absolutely awful how slow things got around here."

In the midst of those hard times, Dickinson said, one blessing emerged in that the restrictions encouraged Dickinson to repair the company's well. "Out of all this, there's been a benefit."

Dickinson Garden Center continues to use its well in spite of the lifted restrictions to county water. The only OWASA water the company uses is the indoor plumbing system of the store itself, Dickinson said.

Rodney White, manager of Southern States, said one of the worst things about the restrictions was how little time he had to prepare for them.

"There was really no warning," he said. "We had to make immediate decisions about how to maintain plant material."

Dickie Dickinson, co-owner of Dickinson Garden Center, echoed White's concern about how little notice was given before the restrictions were in place.

"The emergency situation jumped on quickly," he said.

OWASA spokesman Greg Feller said the group did advertise for the oncoming restrictions through newspapers and radio a few days before they were enacted. "I felt there was good awareness around the community," Feller said.

In the event that a business had not seen or heard any of these ads, Feller said, OWASA mailed notices to all businesses and did not enforce the restrictions until they had time to fall squarely in view of the public's eye.

"There were only a couple citations given out by police (once) they did begin enforcement," Feller said.

Dickie Dickinson said today's OWASA drought forum, which will address managing future droughts and how restrictions should be enacted, will be productive.

"I am confident that when we get into discussion, there will be great cooperation because we have a very good, proactive movement in place," he said.

Feller said he feels good about the way the community handled the situation.

"The community responded really well to cutting back water use," he said.

"One thing to keep in mind is that we don't know when a drought is going to begin or end, and I'd like to continue to encourage conservation."

Kerwin also acknowledged that continued water conservation would benefit the community. "After all, it's a matter of when, not if, we will have another drought."

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