Raleigh Mayor to Make Drought Focus of State of City Address

Raleigh, N.C. — Dry weather, low lake levels and tougher water restrictions will get plenty of attention in Raleigh this year.

Mayor Charles Meeker said the drought will be the focus of his State of the City address.

"While things are going pretty well here in the city, things are not going at all well with the weather and the drought," Meeker said.

"The City Council has taken certain steps and indicated Stage 2 this week, but there are indications from a new (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) report that may not be adequate. So the City Council may need to take further steps in the weeks ahead."

Meeker will deliver his State of the City speech Monday night. He said the city's current consumption rate and the dry weather could lead to more water troubles next summer.

The Raleigh City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to move to Stage 2 water restrictions on Feb. 15.

The Stage 2 restrictions would have automatically come into effect if Raleigh's water supply dipped to 90 days. However, with the supply in Falls Lake projected to last until the summer, Meeker said he decided to push for tighter restrictions sooner.

Meeker also said improving the appearance of the city and public art will be featured in his speech.

The mayor will deliver the State of the City address on Feb. 11 at noon at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

The public is invited. A lunch will be offered for $12, payable at the door.

For more information, call Public Affairs Director Jayne Kirkpatrick at (919) 890-3100.

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Latest Comments

Will the new courthouse, the new convention center and hotel, and the million dollar restaurant investments give us something to drink and shower with when the Falls Lake runs out of water.

Our priorities in Raleigh and Wake County are messed up.

The Mayor of Raleigh is like the guy on the Titantic saying all is well after the Titantic hit the ice berg.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
February 11, 2008 10:44 a.m.

The Mayor needs to tell us how he and the City Manager made the drought situation worse by not enacting Sev 2 restrictions last July and August when the weather forecasters were telling us that we were going to have a dry fall, winter, and spring.

The problem was that the Mayor and the City Manager were holding out for the Tropical Storm that never happened.

DontLikeTheSocialistObama
February 11, 2008 10:41 a.m.

Why is Pepsi still allowed to bottle Aquafina water from Falls Lake? Because they are Raleigh's largest municipal water customer and money talks while residents are asked to cut back use. Is bottled water "essential" or more important than water for residents? Cut off the spigot to Aquafina! (and all this time you thought your bottled water was better than municipal tap water)