If you were counting on the drought to shut down school and get you out of your Chemistry final, it looks like you're out of luck. As of yesterday, the Charlottesville reservoir is at nearly 76 percent capacity, and more rain is in the forecast. Charlottesville city and Albemarle county officials' recent decision to lift strict restrictions on businesses relying heavily on water usage -- like car washes -- is a good one. In light of the much improved water supply situation, city officials meeting on Monday to discuss further changes should ease more regulations that impose burdens on Charlottesville denizens while encouraging area residents to keep conserving.
City officials should be commended for lifting restrictions that harmed business's bottom lines. However, now that the reservoir's current percentage level of capacity is what Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority calls normal and not severe, the city should go further to lift strict restrictions imposed in drier days. Area residents should be allowed to start watering lawns and filling pools again.
Certainly, Charlottesville residents should not go overboard with the sprinkler use. Some of the water conservation regulations should be kept in place, such as the use of low-flow toilets and showerheads and requiring businesses to post signs reminding citizens to conserve water. These are sensible water-saving measures that don't impose undue burdens on anyone and are a good idea no matter what reservoir water levels look like.
But desperate times have passed, and strict restrictions on watering and car-washing are no longer necessary. Charlottesville residents are more conscious about conservation and likely will continue to do what they can to keep water usage down even if formal regulations are lifted.
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