Cruel Summer

By Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

I heard the song “Cruel Summer” by Bananarama on the radio the other day.  It was well into the 90s that day in Lincoln, with the heat index over 100 degrees.  The extreme weather that’s been plaguing much of the country as of late leads me to believe it is indeed a cruel summer.

“Hot summer streets and the pavements are burning…”

Portions of the U.S. are experiencing drought categorized as “exceptional” by the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center (http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/).  Records for heat have been shattered across the country.  In northern Texas, Amarillo reached the 100 degree mark for 30 days in a row.  On July 19, Knoxville, Iowa had a head index of 131 degrees!  Talk about cruel.

“It’s too close for comfort, this heat has got right out of hand…”

While the heat and humidity have me longing for the cool crisp days of fall, summer, with the heat it brings, is an opportune time to promote water conservation.  Whether it’s installing water efficient appliances and fixtures in your home, utilizing native plants in your landscape, watering efficiently, or simply turning off the water when you brush your teeth, it’s important that each of us take measures to reduce our water use in these hot summer months, and encourage our friends, neighbors, and family members to do the same.

As far as the heat?  Well, I have to agree with Bananarama:

“It’s too hot to handle so I got to get up and go…"