Some years ago, Cedar Rapids Iowa shut down their water plant (IIRC) but most of the city was underwater at the time due to flooding. Desiccating a city and then letting the water run out seems considerably worse to me. I'll concede the folks there running the town perhaps have a better idea how this is going to go than I do.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
