Duke, North Carolina Make It Rain

Back off, people! We know that there's a drought, and you're thirsty. But this water is being saved to drench the synthetic turf at the field hockey stadium. We have our priorities at Duke University.

In the midst of what may be the worst drought ever in North Carolina, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are watering the synthetic turfs used by their field hockey teams. Durham, which has about 69 days left in its water supply at the current use rate, has banned all outdoor watering. Duke, which could not supply a number for the gallons used on turf watering, gets a business exemption to spray the field and other places on campus as long as overall consumption decreases by 30 percent.

My stance on such issues is well documented: If a few people have to suffer so that my daughter can hack at other girls' knees with a wooden stick, then let the water flow.

Fake Turf Watered As Supplies Dry Up [The News & Observer]