Slip and slides are illegal.
Just last Friday, one was shut down on the Milner lawn because it violated Greensboro’s new water restriction laws. These new laws are protecting the Triad’s water supply as Greensboro suffers through its worst drought in recent history.
The town’s three reservoirs are only half full, and water continues to disappear from local lakes. When the lake levels are low, the water is harder to purify for human consumption because it has more impurities and less oxygen.
Local farms have been hit especially hard. Farmers do not have enough water for all their crops. Most choose to water high price crops like tobacco and sod, while they ignore corn, wheat, and soy.
Despite worsening conditions, new homes and businesses continue to be built. Many other North Carolina towns have paused new construction. However, Greensboro officials have decided that halting construction would do more bad than good.
While water levels may rise, the local economy would be hit hard. Construction companies and landscapers would be virtually out of business.
Many people think that this stance is careless. “If we can’t support the people we have now, why should we let more [people move] in?” said Jon Clark, a sophomore and Greensboro native.
Right now Greensboro is a town that cannot support itself. To combat the drought, the city has bought billion’s of dollars of water from nearby towns like Concord.
If this drought doesn’t get better, the population growth could be a serious problem. Greensboro could be facing stricter water regulation laws in the near future. The next phase of water restriction laws would even outlaw filling swimming pools.
That would be a shame because I am having trouble living in a town that outlaws slip and slides.