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IwlC — VOLUME 57 - ISSUE 12 Georgia drought brings water conservation efforts to campus By Ellis Smith News Editor ellisthered@gmail.com The drought covering most of the southeastern United States has gone from a concern to a crisis— a crisis that students at the University of West Georgia are only now beginning to take seriously. The State of Georgia has about three months of water left, according to experts. Lake Lanier, the reservoir for Metro- Atlanta and much of the state, is at an all-time low. Gov. Sonny Purdue issued an executive order on Oct. 20, declaring a state of emergency for 85 Georgia counties. Experts are considering contingency plans, including piping in water from the Savannah River and installing desalinization plants on the coast of Georgia. These are all expensive, long-term projects. In the meantime, outdoor watering is banned throughout the state, and residents are being asked to take shorter showers and use economy Halloween ride-along with UWG BBHHHBtthb. '^hhhhhmwmqi^J ■PTf" y f w/ w/'.^ Photo by Kim Hahn Officer Dorberth of the UWG police prepares to make his daily partrol around the campus. With all the work campus police put in, Halloween is always the busiest night for misconduct. By Johnathan Davis Staff Writer jdavis23 @ my. westga. edu The campus police here at UWG have a thousand stories to tell of nights on patrol, but one of the busiest nights with the most stories is Halloween. Costumes, zany behavior, and alcohol can create a night of fun for those who play it safe. However, for those who don?t, the night can be scarier than any horror film. I rode along with UWG police officers on Halloween to see what thbWest Georgian UWG student Sarah Williams looks on at the lack of water in the fountain near the UCC. Due to Georgia’s severe drought, students, faculty, and workers are working on new methods to conserve water such as not running the popular fountain above. settings on dishwashers and laundry machines. Bob Watkins, director of facilities and grounds at UWG, has been examining water usage since 2000, when Carrollton was experiencing another, less severe water crises. "Water-saving shower heads were retrofitted in the existing the night would be like from inside the squad car. This wouldn?t be my first time with UWG police officers— on my first night with them, a DUI stop turned into a cocaine arrest. I had learned exactly how much ground the UWG Police cover, and 1 was surprised at the size of all that the university includes. I was able to see what tools the officers have in their crime fighting arsenal, and I met many of the third shift officers. Since I gained an understanding of how Disability Awareness Day on campus WWW 1 HEWESTGEORGIAN.COM residence halls and are installed in all new residence facilities,” Watkins said. “Training sessions on common sense use of water have been conducted with custodial and maintenance personnel, and our daily maintenance of all facilities includes inspection for proper the police do things, 1 felt I was prepared for what I would see on Halloween. I joined the police at 11:00 p.m., but anyone who has gone to parties on Halloween knows that the parties don?t really start until late, so when I began my ride with Officer Clinton Pichon, we did some patrolling. It wasn?t long, though, before he stopped a guy who ran a stop sign on University Drive. Not much, really, but people running stop signs on Halloween can still hit pedestrians if they are not careful. When pulled Getting inked: confronting errors in judgment operation and immediate repair where water loss might occur.” UWG personnel conduct daily inspections in the 64 buildings and more than 300 rooms on campus with plumbing features. The university has also ceased outdoor watering, washing police: Alcohol, parties, and jail over, the guy didn?t have valid registered insurance, nor was his driver?s license valid. We had to wait for the Carrollton Police to arrest him, as he had a warrant for the CPD. But once that was over with, we got a call about a fight at the Off Campus Bar. This is a note to anyone who rides with the police: Don?t overeat beforehand. Feeling yourself jarred back into your seat as the engine kicks and those blue lights go on can do a number on your digestive tract. It?s certainly not for those without true intestinal fortitude. By the time we arrived at the bar, there was no real fighting underway, but tempers were still flaring. After this, there was more patrolling. The night shift is mostly about security, and the task is a serious one, requiring lots of foot patrolling. If I did this every night, I?d probably lose about 25 pounds. Shortly after making sure one of the dorms was secure, a call came over from the Chi Phi house. Upon arriving, two officers had already stopped the car and everyone had gotten out; all eight of them, from a four-passenger car. In Sports - Page 5 Wolves volleyball prep for GSC tourney vehicles, running the fountains, and irrigating the grass. Even the Z -6 has cut back on the number of hours spent washing dishes. But most students haven’t got the message yet. According to reports from knowledgeable sources, girls in Bowdon hall continue to take 30 While I?m sure the officers appreciated that the brothers of Chi Phi had arranged for a designated driver, generally it?s a good idea to have only one per three or four, unless he?s driving a van or something. One per eight is pushing it. There were three who were underage in the group, and one had a previous citation for underage consumption; in fact. he?d just spoken to the judge the day before. When people are drunk, it?s generally a bit funny. People are acting a little dumb and dull, and spirits are generally high. So, while some of these involved in the stop were being a little goofy, it was hard to laugh as 1 watched three people get ready to go to jail. On the ride to the jail, two of them sat behind me. I couldn?t help but try to reassure them that things will work out; of course, it was to no avail. As far as they could see, things were as bad as they could get. Once to the jail, their mood got just a bit better, but only because it seemed like things were moving. After leaving the jail, another call came in from Strozier Hall. A girl had consumed too much alcohol, and after we arrived, we learned she was underage as well. In A&E - Page 7 ’The Shape of Things? shaping up WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 7. 2007 minute showers. In fact, water usage statistics point to students using more water, not less. For example, in Tyus Hall, water usage has gone up from 3,624 gallons/month to 4,104 gallons/month. Carolyn Lang, resident director of Watson Hall, and her resident assistants have begun to educate students about conserving water in innovative ways. Lang instituted a program called “Models Need Water Too" that involved watching “America’s Next Top Model" and discussing ways to conserve water during the commercial breaks. Lang has also placed timers in the showers to encourage students to take showers in four minutes or less. The floor that takes the shortest showers wins a pizza party. The RA.’s have posted information about ways to conserve water around the building on bulletin boards. Some of their suggestions are: shower in 4 minutes or less, brush teeth in the shower, do only full loads of laundry, and use towels more than once. She was having a hard time staying lucid. Her roommates had cared enough to call for help, and upon arriving, Sgt. Ned Watson called an ambulance to make sure she would get the care she needed. He would issue a citation for the underage consumption, but that was a problem to be solved later; her health was the immediate concern. As the firemen and paramedics arrived, 1 left with Pichon to end my night. As I stepped out of the car to head into my apartment, another call came in. It was another alcohol-related situation at Watson. I considered, for a second, jumping back in and going with him to check it out, but I?d had enough. I decided to head in and think back on everything I had seen. I?d seen the seriousness of the decisions students at West Georgia make on Halloween, or rather, every single night. I?d seen the professionalism of the UWG Police in carrying out their mission of protecting students, sometimes from themselves. Finally. I saw the enormity of their task, its delicate nature, and how they had performed it as best as humanly possible.