North Carolina is in the grips of a severe drought, and some communities are taking steps to conserve water.<\/p>\n
This has been the driest October-March period on record for the state since 1895, according to federal data<\/a>, and conditions show little signs of improving in the near future.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dozens of counties recently were declared federal\u00a0natural disaster areas<\/a> because of the drought, and a statewide burn ban has been in place since March 28 because of higher risk of wildfires.\u00a0<\/p>\n The state\u2019s two largest cities, Charlotte and Raleigh, begin restrictions on water use Monday. Here\u2019s what that means.<\/p>\n Charlotte<\/a> will be on what it calls a Stage 1 protocol \u2013 that\u2019s the least restrictive water rules, where the city asks residents to cut back on outdoor watering, especially during the hottest times of the day, and to fix any leaks quickly.<\/p>\n If conditions get worse, the city can move to tougher rules.<\/p>\n \u201cTaking early voluntary action helps reduce the likelihood of more stringent mandatory restrictions if dry conditions persist,\u201d the city states on its website. \u201cCharlotte Water will continue to monitor conditions and coordinate with regional partners. If drought conditions worsen, additional response measures may be considered in alignment with regional protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n The city gets its drinking water<\/a> from Mountain Island Lake and Lake Norman, which are part of the Catawba-Wateree River basin. Communities in 24 counties<\/a> in North and South Carolina draw from the river basin. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Raleigh also is moving to Stage 1 rules<\/a>, affecting how businesses and residents use water, but they are not voluntary.<\/p>\n Restaurants may serve tapwater only if customers ask for it, and hotels should ask guests to reuse their towels and bedsheets.<\/p>\n Residents may use sprinklers only from midnight to 10 a.m. on alternating days for even- and odd-numbered addresses. Hose-end sprinklers can be used 6-10 a.m. or 6-10 p.m., also on alternating days.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those who violate the rules will get a warning first but then may face civil penalties, the city says.<\/p>\n The city draws drinking water from Falls Lake, which had 84% capacity remaining as of Friday, according to the city\u2019s website. Lake Benson and Lake Wheeler, both of which are near full capacity, are secondary supplies.<\/p>\n Not all North Carolina communities have adopted water restrictions, and some practice conservation year-round. For example, the city of Durham<\/a> and Union County<\/a> have alternating-day schedules for landscape watering, with no irrigation allowed on Mondays. \u00a0<\/p>\n Follow us on Instagram at\u00a0spectrumnews1nc<\/a>\u00a0for news and other happenings across North Carolina.<\/p>\n