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Much of the South's post-war population growth has followed the Piedmont Crescent from the Research Triangle region through the Triad, Charlotte, Upstate South Carolina, Atlanta to Birmingham. The cities and counties of "Rallatantingham" are located in the headwaters of streams on fractured bedrock with relatively small amounts of surface water and ground water available to them.

Located in the headwaters of the Upper Cape Fear River Basin, Greensboro has long recognized its vulnerability to drought and water shortages. The city has steadily worked to diversify its sources of water supply beyond its small reservoirs of Lake Brandt, Lake Higgins and Lake Townsend. It has also worked to increase water efficiency and to make its water system resilient to future droughts and shortages. Greensboro was a poster child for sound water management during the 2007-2008 drought.

Greensboro knows the value of water. Greensboro was among the first water systems in North Carolina to implement tiered water rates, or conservation pricing. While many water systems charged their largest residential customers less per gallon used, Greensboro started charging its largest residential customers more. The policy has worked. Customers have responded to higher prices and become more efficient. Greensboro also was among the first cities to hire a water conservation coordinator. Other cities, including Durham and Raleigh, have followed Greensboro's example. They are implementing tiered pricing and have hired conservation coordinators.

Greensboro has diversified its sources of supply. It has interconnections and contracts with Winston-Salem, Reidsville, Burlington and High Point. Greensboro may have been the first community in North Carolina to employ "skimming." During high flows in the winter months, when water consumption is down, the city can pump water from the Haw River to its Lake Townsend reservoir for storage until warmer months when demand is higher. The city launched a major water line rehabilitation initiative in 2004. The city is investing $1.75 million per year to replace old, leaky water lines. It has modernized its system of water meters and water billing. It bills its customers monthly to provide them current information about their water consumption.

Some other cities waited until the 2007-2008 drought before adopting similar policies. They initiated leak detection, water line rehabilitation, water meter and billing system modernization and interconnections with neighbors during the drought.

Greensboro has partnered with the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority to build the $140 million Randleman Reservoir on the Deep River in Guilford and Randolph counties. Randleman is the largest new water supply project built in North Carolina in the last 20 years.

Greensboro may be the only major city in North Carolina with a comprehensive water resources department. It manages stormwater in the same department as drinking water and wastewater. Rainwater and stormwater can be captured and utilized for nonpotable purposes such as irrigation, cooling and toilet flushing. In a future of scarce water resources, it won't make sense to be flushing toilets and irrigating lawns with highly treated, valuable drinking water.

The city is in a better position than most to implement integrated water resources planning that matches water uses with various sources of supply, including rainwater and stormwater. Other cities manage stormwater in their street departments instead of their water departments. This makes integrated water resources management nearly impossible. Stormwater managers should be at the table when cities are evaluating options to improve water quantity and quality.

Like other Southern cities, Greensboro could do more to increase its water efficiency, to replace its aging infrastructure, and to prepare for climate change. However, thanks to wise planning, a good balance of policies to reduce demand and increase supply, forward-looking political leaders willing to raise revenues for water services, and the willingness of its citizens to pay for high-quality water services, Greensboro has developed a diverse, resilient and assured water supply system. Greensboro is leading the way for a 21^st century of scarce and valuable water resources.

About The Writers

Bill Holman is director of state policy at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

Richard Whisnant is a professor at UNC-CH's School of Government.