“Maintaining Adequate Water Supply an Issue of Both Supply and Demand”

Nashville, Tenn. ? As hot, dry conditions continue across Tennessee,
Governor Phil Bredesen urges every Tennessean to conserve water.

?We are now entering our traditional dry season in Tennessee and while
most parts of the state have adequate water supplies at the moment,
there are areas that are experiencing strains on their water systems and
we need to be thinking about the months ahead,? said Bredesen.
?Maintaining an adequate water supply for Tennesseans? critical needs
is an issue of both supply and demand.?

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the Department of
Environment and Conservation are working with other local, state and
federal agencies to track Tennessee?s water needs and provide support
where necessary.

?Currently, there are 47 public water systems in Tennessee that have
experienced issues ranging from declining water sources to water demand
exceeding the capacity of treatment plants, distribution pipes and/or
pump systems,? said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke.
?When water utilities ask their customers to conserve, we urge people to
respond accordingly.?

Some water systems have also experienced issues with taste and odor.
Taste and odor are generally worse in those areas where stream flow has
diminished and source water is collected closer to the bottom of the
stream, or where algae is imparting a taste and odor to the water.
Taste and odor issues in water from public water systems are aesthetic
in nature, and do not pose a safety or health risk.

Some reported water outages are due to private wells running dry or
ponds used to water livestock running dry. The first point of contact
for any Tennessean experiencing problems accessing water for critical
needs is their local emergency management agency, which then coordinates
with TEMA when additional support is required. The contact information
for each county?s emergency management agency can be found on TEMA?s Web
site at: http://www.tnema.org/.

Some simple things Tennesseans can do to conserve water include:

? Refrain from watering lawns, washing cars or other
non-critical water uses
? Fix all leaky plumbing fixtures, including outdoor hoses
? Install sink faucets with aerators, motion sensors, or
automatic shut-offs
? Install low-flow shower heads
? Run washing machines and dishwashers only with full loads

?In times of serious drought such as the one we are currently
experiencing, conserving water can be an issue of public health and
welfare,? said TEMA Director James Bassham. ?We need to be sure
communities can maintain the water they need to drink, and we also need
to make sure there is water available for other critical needs such as
fire suppression.?

TEMA, the Department of Environment and Conservation and other state
and federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture, the
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the National Weather Service, TVA,
the Army Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Association of Utility
Districts are part of a drought task force that provides a formal
mechanism for agencies to discuss issues and solutions related to the
drought. Drought Task Force reports are also posted on TEMA?s Web site
at the link above.

For more information about water conservation options, visit
Environment and Conservation?s Web site at:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/ea/eo/eo_water.shtml.

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