Stealth Watering

DeKalb County, GA bans all outdoor water use

I know there must be a better way to reduce water usage. Our family of four uses so little water compared to the “average” that this ban infuriates me. Our 40+ year old white oak tree is “stressed” according to the arborist, and it needs the soaker hose for thrity minutes every third night unless we have significant rain. I can let the annuals, azaleas and hydrangeas wilt, I can let the grass die (I’ve never watered it anyway), but I can’t make this poor tree continue to suffer. I will go out and turn the soaker hose on every third night under cover of darkness if need be.

Give us a per diem on water, make a sliding scale for water usage fees, but don’t make me not water my beloved tree. In addition to our many water saving routines (don’t flush everytime, don’t bathe everyday, dump dehumidifier water on plants), I will save my shower water to dump in the containered plants.

Oh let it rain!