Champaign CIty Waterning Lawns in Drought

On July 13, 2012 Fox News looked at the floods in Texas and contrasted that with the worsening drought in much of the country. The city they showed was none other than Champaign, Illinois.  Yes, our drought is making national news.

So what does mayor Don Gerard and city manager Steve Carter going to do about a real environmental concern in the City of Champaign? Let’s put more of our precious water on the grass in city areas. Yes, the city is wasting our precious water in an effort to keep grass green that is rarely walked on except to have a fireman waste time mowing it. Wouldn’t you rather them work on improving their firefighting equipment or skills? Watering was occurring as late as the evening of the 13^th.  The rumor is that the firehouses were told not to let their grass go brown.

Over the 4^th of July, my father and I saw and were shocked that Fire Station Number 2 on Prospect Avenue was watering their lawn. I was in western Indiana later that day and was shocked at the extremely low level of the Wabash River. When our rivers are running dry, maybe it is about time to change stop watering the lawns.

I came back later on the fourth to see the other side of the lawn at the firehouse being watered. Why do we even have lawns in the city buildings such as fire houses? Shouldn’t they be more water friendly? Shouldn’t the city be setting an example? Why are our city leaders wasting our hard earned tax dollars on this even if a good year? Obviously we are not getting our monies worth from the folks who are running our town at this point.

Water and water shortages are becoming a worldwide problem. This is one of the biggest environmental concerns we have to face. While I believe that at least now we have the water supplies to sustain ourselves and our crops, we really don’t have the water to spend watering lawns that have no purpose other than to give city workers something to mow. Lawns are increasingly becoming a luxury that we cannot afford

Not only is there an environmental impact, there is an economic impact as well. How much water is being wasted not only at Champaign Fire Station number 2 but all fire houses as well as other city property? I encourage all residents of Champaign to stand up to our city leaders and request change to this insanity. If not maybe it’s time to change our leaders.