The City of Norfolk is urging residents and businesses to reduce nonessential water use despite recent rain, saying its reservoirs are low amid ongoing drought conditions.<\/p>\n
Norfolk\u2019s Department of Utilities has moved the city to Condition 2<\/a>, which city code defines as when \u201cvery limited supplies of water are available.\u201d In a Facebook post Thursday evening<\/a>, the city summarized the nonessential water uses that it\u2019s asking residents to reduce.<\/p>\n Those uses include:<\/p>\n Vegetation & landscaping The city further asked that residents to take voluntary steps to use less water such as shortening showers, turning off the tap while brushing teeth and doing dishes, using dishwashers and washing machines only when they\u2019re full, watering plants with rainwater and using mulch to help soil retain water and repairing leaks in household plumbing and hoses.<\/p>\n Virginia has been experiencing its driest period since 1941, according to state officials, prompting Gov. Abigail Spanberger to ask residents to conserve water in June. Southeast Virginia, including Hampton Roads, is in a drought watch and has seen 83.2% of the normal amount of precipitation since Oct. 1, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality\u2019s Drought Monitoring Task Force\u2019s report on Sept. 1.<\/p>\n DEQ\u2019s drought dashboard shows<\/a> much of the region has seen between 70-85% of the normal presentation at this point in the year.\u00a0 The Eastern Shore is in a drought warning, with one of its two groundwater gauges in \u201cemergency\u201d status.<\/p>\n The task force said in a report on the period ending Sept. 3<\/a> that southcentral and southeastern areas had each received less than 50% of normal precipitation in the previous 30 days. The worst of the drought is being felt in southcentral Virginia where the entire Roanoke drought evaluation region is in emergency drought conditions, according to DEQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nVehicle washing
\nInfrastructure & pavement washing (except where required strictly for immediate public health or safety emergencies)
\nDecorative fountains
\nNonemergency fire hydrant usage
\nRestaurant operations (restaurants may only provide water to customers upon request)
\nSwimming pool filling<\/p>\n