Water Advisory

Dear Campus Community,

As you may know, Atlanta is experiencing a severe drought. As a result, Governor Sonny Perdue has declared a water supply emergency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has issued a Level 4 drought response for the Atlanta metropolitan area. According to state officials, rainfall in our area is more than 20 inches below normal, and reservoir levels are at the lowest point in 100 years.

The drought requires serious restrictions on water usage, and state officials are asking all residents to conserve water as they work to implement both short- and long-term solutions to address the problem.

Our health as an institution and the health of our city depend on access to water. It is up to us to ensure that we do what we can to conserve this important natural resource. Already, the Offices of Housing and Residential Life, and Facilities Management and Services have distributed water conservation tips that can be implemented to help ease the shortage. Here are a few things that you can do to help:

1. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
   (saves three-four gallons each day)
   
2. Use only a small amount of water to wet your hands and rinse off soap
   
3. Do not shower for more than five minutes
   (can save 1,000 gallons per month)
   
4. Turn off water while shampooing/ conditioning your hair
   
5. Don't leave the shower on if you are not using it
   
6. Limit toilet flushes as much as possible
   
7. Wash your laundry less often; to create a full load, wash with a friend
   
8. If you request a glass of water, drink it
   
9. Place a bucket in the shower with you to collect run-off water for plants
   
10. Keep bottled water available to offset the need to use a fountain or tap
    
11. Notify FMS if you notice an inoperable toilet or shower

Let's all make a commitment to reduce the amount of water we use. Apply as many of the conservation tips that you can - both at home and on campus. Water is an important resource in our everyday lives, and we cannot live without it. Let's all monitor and reduce the amount of water that we use. We cannot afford to waste any.

With each of us in the Spelman community adopting conservation measures, together we will make a difference.

Thanks in advance for caring about this issue and taking action.

Sincerely,
Beverly Daniel Tatum


Send your water-saving ideas to savewater@spelman.edu

Download the "Save Our Environment" Flyer(pdf)
to share with family and friends