WTVY: Water Agenda For Alabama

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Water Agenda For Alabama

The Alabama River Alliance says there needs to be a change in state policies to ensure healthy river systems for the long term.

The Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center say there needs to be a change in state policies to ensure plenty of clean and healthy river systems for the long term in Alabama.

"Developing a plan is critical because how do you decide to direct your new industry, or decide if you do need a reservoir? Where do you need it? How do you manage growth? How do you do any of those things?” Choctawhatchee river keeper Michael Mullen said.

Much of Alabama’s water is being shared by Georgia, which means it's not being distributed evenly within the state. Streams and rivers are important because they supply water for industries such as farming and even provide drinking water.

"When you start having to shut down water mills or put on severe water restrictions, it begins to get the general public’s and law maker’s attention,” Mullen said. "many people don't understand that our ground water and our water levels are connected, when water levels get low, it's the ground levels that sustain the stream when it doesn't rain for six weeks,” he said.

People can help our waterways stretch a little further by learning and conserving at home.

"Learn where your water comes from and be efficient in your own use of water. we take it for granted because we have a lot of it in Alabama, but it's a resource that we are blessed in abundance of and but were learning more and more with unpredictable learning patterns that it may not be here , it might not always be that abundant," Executive Director of Alabama Alliance Cindy Lowry said.

Alabama is one of the last remaining states in the southeast without a plan for water distribution or water resources.