Earlier this week, the City of Andalusia instituted a voluntary odd/even outdoor watering system to conserve water in this summer’s drought.
Those whose last names begin in the letter A through M, are asked to limit all outdoor water use to even calendar days. Those whose last names begin in the letter n through z, are asked to limit all outdoor water use to odd calendar days. All residents are asked to refrain from outdoor watering on Sundays.
City Clerk John Thompson said the city also is reducing its water consumption.
“Our projects are cut back to no more than every other day, and not on Sundays,” he said. Some of the city’s landscaping will be watered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while others will be watered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“There is nothing like a drought to make you appreciate water,” said Janet Wofford of the Clean Water Partnership. Wofford was busy setting out five gallon buckets to collect rainwater Friday afternoon so that she could follow the city’s new guidelines and still water her flowers.
In light of those new limits, she offered these tips for outdoor water conservation:
• Water lawns, gardens, and flowers during early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are lowest. This will reduce loss due to evaporation.
• Mulch gardens/flowerbeds with pine straw, leaves, grass clippings, etc; this will retain moisture, plus it helps control weeds which compete with plants for water and nutrients.
• Attach timer to sprinklers or garden hoses — an unattended garden hose can pour more than 600 gallons in just a few hours.
• Wash your vehicle on grassy areas rather than on your driveway or street—this serves multiple purposes, the grass gets the use of the water while at the same time filtering the gas and oil contaminants from runoff.
• Repair or replace leaky faucets/garden hoses.
• Always “recycle” water rather than pouring down drain—use to water plants/grass.
• Harvest rainwater using buckets or a rain barrel.
Wofford plans to hold a “make and take” rain barrel workshop in Andalusia this summer.
For more information, contact her at 334-222-3271 or .
A week after asking customers of the local water system to voluntarily not use water outdoors for three days, Mayor Earl Johnson yesterday afternoon asked residents to cooperate with an odd/even watering system.
“Due to extreme drought conditions in Andalusia and extraordinary pressure on our infrastructure, we ask that our citizens water lawns, wash cars or do any other outdoor watering on odd and even days that correspond with citizens’ last names,” Johnson said. “If one’s last name begins in the letter A through M, please limit all outdoor water use to even calendar days. If one’s last name begins with an N through Z, water only on odd days.”
In addition, the city is asking everyone refrain from outdoor water use on Sundays.
Johnson stressed that the restrictions are not meant to cause alarm.
“These measures are precautionary and not intended to alarm anyone, but if current conditions persist, we may face more serious water restrictions,” Johnson said.
“Andalusia is not running out of water, nor are we endangering our capacity to produce water. However, extreme drought and high temperatures have caused water usage to drastically increase which necessitates our planning for a prolonged period.”
The extreme use is overtaxing pumps used to refill the wells, he said.
“If we burn up a pump, then we could have a real problem.”
Johnson said he is hopeful that Thursday afternoon’s thunderstorms signal a return to a more normal weather pattern. As of Monday, only an inch of rain had fallen in Andalusia or Opp this week.
“Hopefully, we will soon return to a more normal weather pattern and receive rain on a regular basis,” Johnson said. “Until then, we have no choice but to take precautions. We greatly appreciate everyone working together to ensure that our system remains functioning at optimum levels.“
Those wanting to know more about what amateur ham radio operators are invited to come watch as the local South Alabama Radio Club participates in the nationwide field day June 25 and 26.
Bob Lawrence, SARC member, said local “hams” will join with thousands of amateur radio operators during the weekend event to practice their emergency capabilities.
“The goal of the event is to contact as many states in a 24-hour period as possible – an emergency exercise,” Lawrence said. “We will operate overnight from 1 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. on Sunday using only batteries and generators to power our radios.”
Lawrence said “hams” provide critical communications during unexpected emergencies and natural disasters.
“When all else fails – regular telephone, cell phones, computers – ham radios work,” he said. “And in times of emergency, communication is key.
“We tell people all we need is a piece of wire, a car battery and a radio to talk,” he said. “(The event allows operators to) show people that we can do more than just transmit a voice. We use Morse Code. We can even transmit a digital signal. Sometimes we can get lucky and catch a satellite passing by. It’s very interesting to see the process.
“We jokingly say ham radio operators came up with text messaging first,” he said.
The annual field day is the climax of the weeklong “Amateur Radio Week,” which is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for amateur radio.
There are more than 650,000 amateur ham radio licenses nationwide. In Covington County, there are 91 licensed operators, Brown said. Of those, half are active in the event, as well as in providing radio services.
During Hurricane Opal, ham radios were the only means of communication available locally to emergency personnel, law enforcement and emergency management officials.
“It was the only way we had to get information in and out of Covington County to the people (at the state EMA center),” Lawrence said.
Next weekend’s local event will give the public an up-close view of what it took – and still takes – to provide this emergency service, he said.
This year’s event will feature two sites – at the Sweet Home Alabama Campground, formerly known as the Pt. A Campground and a site off Padgett Road.
Turnout at Thursday’s blood drive at Andalusia Regional Hospital was enough to make Red Cross officials rethink how they plan to schedule drives in Covington County.
Megan Jefferson, blood services account manager for the RC Alabama and Gulf Coast region, said a total of 18 people came to donate. She said of those, 14 were able to give blood.
“Normally, we don’t see that many people, so we were very pleased with the way things turned out,” Jefferson said.
She said previously that 17 donors were needed to keep the Red Cross coming back for future drives at ARH.
That goal was met, and Jefferson said she and hospital officials believe they’ve found a way that while reducing the number of drives, will increase the number of donors.
“One thing I didn’t realize is that Covington County, specifically Andalusia, has such a small population,” she said. “I typically try to schedule three drives in a month. We think by cutting that to two drives, that will allow more people an opportunity to give.”
Jefferson said donors are required to wait 56 days between donations.
“With the drives so close together, it didn’t give people time to recover,” she said. “So, that really opens the window a bit, by cutting the number.”
She said of the 47 active accounts in Covington County, less than half are successful drives that produce more than 21 units each time. She hopes that number will now increase.
“And as always, we are sending out a plea for blood donations,” she said. “It’s summer, so the need is there. It’s hard for us to get donors during the summer months because people are on vacation, are busy and such. But, on the flip side, it’s also the time when blood is needed the most due to accidents.
“So please, give when you have the opportunity,” she said.
Other upcoming blood drives include one on Sat., June 25, at Covington Mall from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and on Tues., June 28, at Southside Baptist Church-Andalusia, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Donors must be at least 17 years old, healthy and weigh at least 110 pounds.
The lack of participation at local Red Cross blood drives could force the national non-profit to reduce the number of blood drives here by half.
Meg-an Jeff-erson, blood services account manager for the RC Alabama and Gulf Coast region, said there are 47 active accounts in Covington County, and less than half of those are successful drives that produce more than 21 units each time.
She said due to rising operational costs, the Red Cross may soon reduce the number of drives that don’t meet production goals. In a typical month, the Red Cross holds at least three drives in the county, she said.
“(The Red Cross has) also just suffered another layoff of about 500 employees because costs have gone up more than 4 percent,” she said. “Soon, we will only travel so far a set number of times during the month, and they will begin reducing drives that produce less than 20, which are a majority of the drives in Southeast Alabama. We need the public’s help to prevent further ramifications.”
A case in point is today’s blood drive at Andalusia Regional Hospital, where at least 17 donors are needed to bring the Red Cross back for future drives at the location, she said.
“(The Red Cross is) the primary supplier to (ARH), as well as Florala Memorial,” Jefferson said. “Neither (drive) collects more than 10 units of blood.”
Because of the low participation it is not cost productive to hold the drives, she said.
“Although the blood is free, it still costs us to get it,” she said. “Each goal determines how many staff we send, which is one person per seven donors. The line staff is paid for loading, travel, actual drive time, travel back and unloading. Gas prices are extremely high especially when we have to use the bloodmobile.”
She said cost involves everything the non-profit has to spend to collect the blood and get it to each patient, including processing and other expenses.
“If we set out to collect 50 units, but only collect 25, we have spent the money for 50 and have to get that back as a business,” she said. “We sell the blood to the hospital for only what we spent to get it. Hospitals then sell the blood for whatever they like.”
ARH CEO Mark Dooley said the hospital has absolutely no financial interest or gain in the drives themselves, but encourages participation from its employees.
He said he was “disappointed” by the news this could be the last drive at ARH and hopes to discuss ways of keeping the drives going with Red Cross officials.
Today’s drive at ARH will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Other upcoming blood drives include one on Sat., June 25, at Covington Mall from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and on Tues., June 28, at Southside Baptist Church-Andalusia, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
“Patients are counting on us heroes,” Jefferson said. “So, please donate.”
Donors must be at least 17 years old, healthy and weight at least 110 pounds.