"ROBERT LEE, Texas -- All the cars in this town are dirty. Gripped by drought, the lake that has provided the town's only source of water has just about dried up -- as of last month, it was less than 1 percent full. And as a result, residents are prohibited from using water to wash cars, water trees and lawns and irrigate plants."
"Of course, dirty cars are the least of their concern. It’s become a question of survival. Texans in this semi-arid region are accustomed to making due with little water, but the sense of urgency has never been so high, said Melinda McCutchen, who edits the local newspaper. Since October, Robert Lee residents have cut water consumption by 80 percent."
Saskia De Melker reports for PBS NewsHour in collaboration with KUT's State Impact Texas, as part of the series Coping With Climate Change.
Advertisement 
