RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Raleigh Water will enact water conservation stages beginning next week as drought conditions and high temperatures persist.
Raleigh Water will enter into Stage 1 Water Conservation. This impacts all Raleigh Water customers in Raleigh, Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon.
Raleigh officials say Falls Lake has dropped about 2 feet, an unusually low level for this time of year. City officials said the last comparable drop occurred during the 2007-2008 drought. More than 660,000 people across Wake County will be affected.
“You can definitely tell it’s lower. If you look at the ledge over there, you can see that the water levels down,” said Raleigh resident Tom Truncellito.
According to Raleigh Water, reduced rainfall during the winter and spring has contributed to the decline. Officials said the city is taking early action to protect long-term water supplies.
“We’re trying to be very proactive to have long-term viability of our water supply,” said Ed Buchan, Raleigh Water assistant director of water distribution.
The biggest changes affect outdoor irrigation, with city officials advising residents to use it in moderation.
“It’s certainly OK to use that and elective things like irrigation. But when we have a long-term drought like we’re in right now, we want people to be mindful of their water use,” Buchan said.
Officials also encouraged residents to conserve water indoors.
“It can be everyday things, just trying to, you know, wash less laundry, take a little bit shorter, shower, all of those things add up,” Buchan said.
Conditions differ in western Wake County, where the town of Cary draws its water from Jordan Lake. Cary Assistant Utilities Director Corrie Bondar said the town currently has a water supply surplus.
“Cary is fortunate that we get our water from Jordan Lake because it has a large watershed. And so that allows us to get more water from different places. And so as a result of that, we’re actually in a water supply surplus right now,” Bondar said.
Cary supplies water not only to its residents but also to Apex, Morrisville, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and parts of Research Triangle Park. Even so, town officials said conservation remains important.
“We encourage our utility customers to always use alternate watering. The evens on one day, the odds on the other,” Bondar said.
Raleigh officials said customers who fail to follow the restrictions could face penalties. They also said activities such as washing cars and using water from swimming pools are still allowed, and that they do not expect to move into the next stage of water restrictions at this time
According to the City of Raleigh, only the following activities are allowed during Stage 1 water conservation.
In-ground Irrigation Systems (auto and non)Odd Addresses: TuesdayEven Addresses: WednesdayTimes: 12am to 10 amHose end sprinklersOdd Addresses: Saturday Even Addresses: Sunday Times: 6-10 am & 6-10 pmAthletic Field Irrigation
The irrigation of landscapes is recommended at a maximum of one-half inch per week.
New Landscape Establishment Permits are prohibited during Stage 1 Water Conservation.
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