AMHERST, Va. — The Town of Amherst is under new water restrictions.

Water levels from the town’s drinking-water source have dropped sharply.

A mandatory water conservation notice is in effect after water flow in the Buffalo River, the town’s drinking-water source, dropped from producing 1 million to 750-thousand gallons of water a day.

Here’s how town officials are asking residents to conserve:

Limit lawn care and landscaping to three days a weekSkip filling decorative fountains and poolsAvoid washing their cars when possible

SEE ALSO: Virginians unaccounted for in Nepal after flash flooding

Amherst Town Manager Sara McGuffin says the town didn’t see much of a change when voluntary conservation measures were in place.

Now, she says, the situation is becoming more serious.

“If we take all the water that’s there, fish die. There isn’t water for other users. This is the big impact. It’s not just us. It’s all the other users you have to think about,” McGuffin said.

The Amherst County Service Authority is also keeping a close watch on its water supply.

“We’re utilizing our reservoir utilities, all of the resources we have. The operators are maintaining a very close watch on the entire system,” Amherst County Service Authority Executive Director Tim Castillo said.

Castillo says the county has more than one water source to rely on, including the Graham Creek Reservoir and Harris Creek.

Officials also have the ability to pump water from the James River if needed.

The Town of Amherst would like to see water usage down by 10 percent, and McGuffin hopes she sees a daily drop.