"Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink."
Though they might not be facing the same doomed fate as the sailors in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Charlottesville residents and students are staring drought in the mouth.
As a severe water shortage continues to grip the region, Charlottesville and Albemarle County are under mandatory water-use restrictions, and students are finding ways to save drops.
Second-year Engineering student An Nguyen said he's been turning off dripping faucets to help out.
"I also cut down on showers sometimes," Nguyen said.
First-year Architecture student Emily Greene said she hasn't been completely successful in taking shorter showers. She also doubts that conservation methods are realistic.
"There are signs around Grounds about how to conserve, but they aren't all practical," Greene said.
Noting the recent bout of rain, fourth-year College student Charles Jansen said he thinks the weather might help replenish the water supply.
"I'm sure the rain from the past few days only helps" a little, Jansen said. "But I imagine that a couple more weeks of this rain could help a lot."
Jansen also said he thinks water supplies in other parts of the world eventually will come back around to replenish our water supply.
"I'm sure when the flooding in Germany stops, we'll get plenty of water over here," he said.
Jansen said he has been conscientious about the lengths of his showers, and he hardly washed his car this summer.
Fourth-year College student John Roth said he is not very concerned with the drought warnings.
"Everything goes full circle in the weather cycle," Roth said. "I do take as short a shower as I can, though, and I turn off the water when I brush my teeth."
Fourth-year College student Kenny Smith said he doesn't understand the cause of the drought.
"Last time I checked, Virginia was right by the Atlantic," Smith said.
To help out, though, Smith said he buys bottled water instead of drinking out of the tap.
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