South Carolina Threatens To Sue North Carolina Over Water Use
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01. 9.07
Via:- The State, in Columbia, S.C. we see that South Carolina could file a lawsuit against North Carolina "as early as this week" if the N.C. Environmental Management Commission approves a two-city plan to remove 36 million gallons of water a day from the Catawba River. For background, see this earlier story in the Charlotte Business Journal . The concern over consumptive water withdrawal gets amplified, in this particular case, because the design includes plans for inter-basin transfer. “The two cities propose to dispose of treated wastewater into another river basin that flows into the Pee Dee River”. The threat of lawsuit might be somewhat of a negotiating tool, as there is discussion of a possible interstate compact to resolve the Catawba dispute and future water issues”. What’s missing from the reports we’ve seen, as yet, is any discussion of sustainable growth rates and the potential alternative of water conservation. No TreeHuggers in the Carolinas? Of course there are! Wm. McDonough has been engaged to design the Museum of Life and the Environment , located on the banks of the Catawba. Image credit: South Carolina Native Plant Society
I'm a Treehugger in Charlotte, NC (about 20-30 miles from the cities requesting this transfer, although we should not be affected by it). It seems this request is more about economics than water availability. Basically treating water like a commodity instead of a limited natural resource.
It sounds like a bad environmental decision with regards to the future. I think the only parties that are FOR the transfer are Concord and Kannapolis. Every other city that it affects, including downstream in SC, is against this proposal.
I applaud the Attorney General in SC for making a public threat. South Carolina has not been involved in these discussions at all, even though one argument for the transfer is that cities should work together. If thats true, then all communites possibly affected need to work together.
Ultimately, water conservation needs to be a bigger subject around here. Its disgusting how much water is wasted in this city. But I'm sure nothing short of another draught will bring conservation into light.