The perfectly manicured grass on the Main West Quadrangle may start looking a little less green next week.
Durham City Manager Patrick Baker will put into effect Stage III of Durham's Water Conservation Ordinance this Friday. Baker cited the current drought conditions and inadequate rejuvenation of the water supply from recent rain as reasons for the restrictions.
Under Stage III Moderate Mandatory Conservation, residents will be required to conserve water, as opposed to simply being encouraged to conserve under Stage II.
Don Greeley, one of the two deputy directors of Durham's Department of Water Management, said residents were not cutting back on water use enough with Stage II.
"Basically, we were hoping to see a decrease in demand by our customers voluntarily, and we didn't," Greeley said.
John Noonan, Duke's associate vice president for the facilities management department, said in a Sept.-18 press release that campus services would be prepared if water regulations were increased to Stage III.
The Department of Water Management reported that the average demand for water in Durham in September 2007 has been 35.82 million gallons per day, 7.33 million fewer gallons per day than in September 2006.
Stage III restricts residents from watering lawns, washing cars, washing down sidewalks, patios and driveways and serving complimentary water at restaurants. The city is also encouraging industrial, manufacturing and commercial centers to reduce water consumption.
Sophomore Xiao Zhang said she is doubtful that the new restrictions would affect her.
"I don't think it will affect me personally since I live on campus," she said. "I don't water the lawn and I don't have a car to wash."
Claudia Paccieri, a first-year graduate student in the Program in International Development Policy, however, said the restrictions on water use will impact students in many ways.
"Water is an elementary resource, so I can't say that [the new set of restrictions] isn't going to affect us," Paccieri said. "But I'm trying to figure out how they are going to enforce [the restrictions]."
The Water Conservation Ordinance states that the city can discontinue water service for any customer that violates the regulations, and Durham officials are encouraging residents to report water waste to Durham One Call-a center residents can call in to obtain information regarding services offered by the city.
Offenders will receive two warnings before their water service is terminated, City of Durham officials stated in a news release Sept. 17.
Xiaomara Hernandez, also a first-year graduate student in the PIDP, said she hopes Stage III will help save water until the drought subsides.
"I know that it will be better for me, for everyone, in the long run, because it will conserve the resource," Hernandez said.
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