Every member of the Tryon Town Council objected to some updates recommended for the state’s water shortage response plan. It calls for customers to reduce usage by certain percentages when the town experiences a drought assigned a numeric level or stage. Councilman Austin Chapman thought it would be difficult for residential customers to gauge percentage reductions in their use. Councilman Wim Woody asked how conscientious people using minimum amounts of water already are supposed to cut back. The use of the previous bill as a baseline was contested, as somebody would be in dry straits for going out of town and not leaving the faucet running. Another concern was that utilities were empowered to increase rates as much as five times in high-number drought stages.

“[The state’s recommended guidelines just encourage] people to drill wells,” said Councilman Doug Arbogast regarding the state’s suggested plan. “At some point it becomes cheaper to drill a well.”