According to city officials, both of the Durham's supply lakes have refilled and water is now flowing over the dams at Lake Michie and Little River.
Outdoor watering restrictions will remain in place, allowing residents to water two times per week.
Stage II Voluntary Conservation of Durham's Water Conservation Ordinance is effective Thursday, September 4, 2008.
Ongoing restrictions will continue to limit watering using in-ground irrigation systems or above ground hose-end spray irrigation systems to two days per week. The watering schedule will continue to be Wednesdays and Saturdays ONLY, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. or 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Customers may only water during one of the allowed times each Wednesday and Saturday.
Watering by hand (with cans, wands, and hand-held hoses) is allowed any day of the week. To enable long-deferred landscaping installation and maintenance activities, customers may apply for a water use license, which will allow watering on days other than Wednesdays and Saturdays. Customers interested in applying for a license may download an application at www.durhamnc.gov or contact the City's Department of Water Management at (919) 560-4381. Licenses will be issued with a 30-day limit and customers will be given signs to post on their property.
Stage II measures request that customers:
- Limit the use of clothes washers and dishwashers, and when used, to operate fully loaded.
- Reduce the flushing of toilets to the minimum whenever practical.
- Limit car washing to the minimum.
- Limit wash downs of outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, or other similar purposes.
- Limit hours of operation of water-cooled air conditioners if possible.
- Use biodegradable disposable dishes and utensils, both for residential and commercial purposes, where feasible.
Information on the tiered rate structure, along with 111 water-saving tips, are available at ww.DurhamSavesWater.org or by contacting Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200 to request information.
