Ask someone in Tennessee about drought concerns or shortages of clean water and you are likely to hear comments about Africa, the current crisis facing California, or maybe even memories of the recent squabble between the state and Georgia over water rights on the Tennessee River.

What most people don’t realize, however, is the problem is closer to home.

Eight counties in East Tennessee have areas that the National Drought Mitigation Center classifies as being “abnormally dry,” with an additional five counties in West Tennessee having that distinction.

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