ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a drought warning for Lehigh County.
Due to ongoing dry conditions and below-average rainfall across the region, the Lehigh County Authority (LCA) is asking water customers to voluntarily reduce their water use by 10-15% during this time.
LCA regularly monitors groundwater, stream flows, and overall supply conditions across multiple water sources, and current levels are significantly below normal for this time of year.
Approximately 27 million gallons of water per day are drawn by the authority from a combination of sources, including the Little Lehigh Creek, Lehigh River, two natural springs, and groundwater wells throughout the service area.
Officials say a system-wide reduction of 15% would conserve nearly 4 million gallons of water per day.
“Our system remains stable, but we need to act now to preserve our water supply as the drought continues,” said Liesel Gross, LCA’s Chief Executive Officer. “This winter’s snowfall alone won’t resolve the drought conditions brought on by two years of below-average rainfall. Without consistent precipitation that replenishes streams and aquifers, we remain in a deficit. Voluntary conservation now is the responsible way to protect water resources for the entire community.”
The DEP drought warning declaration applies to all of Lehigh County, not just LCA customers. All residents and businesses are encouraged to conserve water.
LCA officials say while current conditions are serious, they are not yet as severe as 2002, when Lehigh County last faced a formal drought emergency declaration. However, sustained conservation is essential to prevent further decline.
Customers can find conservation tips and drought updates HERE, or by following LCA on social media.