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American Morning

Carolinas Going Through Worst Drought on Record

Aired August 30, 2002 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The Carolinas right now going through their worst drought on record. Water is now in such short supply that many towns, small and large, forced to cut back usage by more than 20 percent.
Brian Cabell today reports on what it's like in one very parched community.

It's Robbins, North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After five years of drought, it's come to this: a jerry-rigged set of borrowed pumps and hoses, balanced on garbage cans and sofa cushions, sucking stagnant, murky creek water into the water supply system of Robbins, a town in the sand hills of North Carolina. There has been a sprinkle or two here recently, but it hasn't made much difference. Only 30 days of reserve water remains, unless the skies open up or other sources of water are found.

MYR. MICKEY BROWN, ROBBINS, NORTH CAROLINA: We ask your guidance and we ask you to send more rain, as your will permits.

There have been some of the local churches that have actually went to the dam and prayed. I know one group that was there Sunday, and we've asked all churches to pray for rain.

CABELL: The town board outlawed all outdoor watering four weeks ago, but that hasn't been enough.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long will it take before we would be able to get water from Montgomery County?

CABELL: The hope now is to build an emergency line to a neighboring county, but the cost for this town of 1,200 residents is prohibitive, without state or federal help. The car wash and laundromats had been on three-day schedules because of the water shortage. Next week, their water supplies will be shut off. Restaurants will stay open, but starting next week, no more dishwashing -- paper plates only.

LISA HUSSEY, RESTAURANT MANAGER: We don't mind. If we can help out and save what we've got until more rain comes, we'll do what we can.

CABELL: The town's largest employer and heaviest water user, Perdue Farms, has cut back from a five-day work week to four. Any further cuts could jeopardize the business.

For now, the water is still flowing from the creek, the town's only source of water, but the system is unreliable. It busted once last week.

(on camera): One option still under consideration is renting railroad cars, filling them with water elsewhere in North Carolina, them bringing the cars to this railroad trestle here in Robbins, and dumping the water into the creek below.

(voice-over): A desperate measure perhaps, but these are desperate times for Robbins, a community where the mayor monitors Doppler radar and the town watches the sky.

Brian Cabell, CNN, Robbins, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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