Watering New Plants a Daily Battle in Normal
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: August 1, 2012
NORMAL - Normal is trying to make sure the drought doesn't dry up your tax dollars.
The town spends thousands on new landscaping every year, but it's all at risk without any rain to help it grow.
At Fairview Park, dirt around newly planted bushes turns to dust once you touch it, and the leaves are brown and crumbling.
Normal typically has two horticulture crews out watering this time of year, but that's been stepped up to five.
They go all day driving around a huge water tank and hitting areas that are not irrigated.
A big concern is all the newly planted trees and flowers. If they die, one town leader said that would be like $25,000 going down the drain.
So it's up to workers like Rachel Bechtold to do her best to save them.
"We're not seeing a lot of plants flourish, but we are seeing them sustain. So we're just trying to keep them so they're able to make it through the season and be there for next year," she said.
Normal is also using around 400 gator bags. They hold 20 gallons of water each around the trunks of trees.
The water seeps out slowly so workers don't have to come back as often.
Water for landscaping comes from hydrants.
The town spends thousands on new landscaping every year, but it's all at risk without any rain to help it grow.
At Fairview Park, dirt around newly planted bushes turns to dust once you touch it, and the leaves are brown and crumbling.
Normal typically has two horticulture crews out watering this time of year, but that's been stepped up to five.
They go all day driving around a huge water tank and hitting areas that are not irrigated.
A big concern is all the newly planted trees and flowers. If they die, one town leader said that would be like $25,000 going down the drain.
So it's up to workers like Rachel Bechtold to do her best to save them.
"We're not seeing a lot of plants flourish, but we are seeing them sustain. So we're just trying to keep them so they're able to make it through the season and be there for next year," she said.
Normal is also using around 400 gator bags. They hold 20 gallons of water each around the trunks of trees.
The water seeps out slowly so workers don't have to come back as often.
Water for landscaping comes from hydrants.
