Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- August 7, 2007

Dry Pennsylvania summer leads to drought watch declaration (:49)

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Suggested Intro:

THE STATE HAS DECLARED A DROUGHT WATCH FOR 58 OF PENNSYLVANIA'S 67 COUNTIES. AND A WATER EXPERT IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS WITHOUT CONSERVATION MEASURES, THINGS COULD GET MUCH WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER. MORE FROM CHUCK GILL:

Story:

(:10) THE DROUGHT WATCH AFFECTS THE ENTIRE STATE, EXCEPT FOR A NINE-COUNTY AREA IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. OFFICIALS ARE CALLING FOR A VOLUNTARY FIVE PERCENT REDUCTION IN NONESSENTIAL WATER USE.

(:10) WITH MOUNTING RAINFALL DEFICITS AND FALLING GROUND WATER LEVELS AND STREAMFLOWS, PENN STATE EXTENSION WATER RESOURCES SPECIALIST BRYAN SWISTOCK SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO CONSERVE:

Swistock Actuality:
(:17) "SIMPLE CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR CAN SAVE A LOT OF WATER, BY MAKING SURE YOU'RE USING LARGE LOADS OF LAUNDRY...LARGE LOADS OF DISHWASHING WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT...TAKING SHORTER SHOWERS...MAYBE NOT FLUSHING THE TOILET EVERY TIME, WHICH ISN'T ALWAYS THE MOST APPEALING THING BUT IT SAVES A LOT OF WATER. THE TOILET'S THE BIGGEST USER OF WATER IN THE HOME."

(:12) SWISTOCK SAYS CONSERVATION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE ESTIMATED THREE MILLION PENNSYLVANIANS WHO RELY ON PRIVATE WELLS, SINCE LOW WELL LEVELS ALSO CAN DEGRADE WATER QUALITY. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.

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Learn more:

PENN STATE GROUNDWATER EXPERT URGES "TAKE DROUGHT SERIOUSLY" (from the College of Agricultural Sciences news archive)

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