TIME AND TIDES

North Carolina is the sixth fastest-growing state in the country. Our population is expected to increase by 50 percent, to more than 12 million people, by 2030.

What are all those people going to drink (other than micro-brews and Yadkin Valley wine)? Where's the water coming from to keep all those people hydrated?

That question was being addressed at a Raleigh conference yesterday. Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt was there and said there's another potential water problem NC had better be preparing for ... rising sea levels.

He predicted North Carolina would be one of the states most affected by rising sea levels, along with Florida and Louisiana, and could see the disintegration of the Outer Banks within the century.

There's no question in our mind that Raleigh's eventually going to be wanting our mountain water for drinking purposes, because they seem to have the same impression that a lot of our mountain natives have, that we have a limitless supply of sparkling clean rushing waters, coming down like righteousness.

On the other hand, maybe we'll also be selling beach-front property in Lenoir by the time the Raleigh crowd figures out how to rook us for our H2O.