Water restriction stages to be implemented for Raleigh customers amid prolonged drought
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
As dry conditions persist, the staff at Logan's Garden Shop at the State Farmers Market say they remember the extreme drought nearly two decades ago. They're urging residents to be mindful of how they use water.
Joshua Logan said the city is not asking people to stop watering entirely, but to think carefully about how they do it. "The city is not asking us not to use water, just to be thoughtful about how we do it," he said.
Logan said the first step in conserving water while maintaining a healthy landscape is preparing the soil. "Making sure that our soil has a lot of organic matter in it. When we plant, use a nice layer of mulch. What that does is it helps to trap the moisture in the soil, and less of it evaporates with the wind and the sun," he said.
He also encourages watering during the early morning or evening hours. "If you water during the early morning or later in the evening after the sun is down, most of that water is going to seep into the soil, get drawn up into the plants, and they're going to be more resilient and will require less watering," Logan said.
Logan demonstrated several tools that can help reduce water use, including drip irrigation systems and watering cans. "A watering can is a great choice as opposed to a hose. You're going to use less water at a time when you're moving from one area to another. You're not having the water constantly running," he said.
He also pointed to rain barrels as an effective way to capture and reuse what little rainfall the area receives. "When we're not having a lot of rain because of the fact that we're harvesting rain from the entire surface area of your roof, even a 10th of an inch of rain can entirely fill your rain barrel when it's put underneath your downspout," Logan said.
As conditions remain dry, Logan said small changes in watering habits can help residents maintain their landscapes while conserving water.
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: Tuesday
- Even Addresses: Wednesday
- Times: 12am to 10 am
Hose end sprinklers
- Odd Addresses: Saturday
- Even Addresses: Sunday
- Times: 6-10 am & 6-10 pm
- Hand-held Watering
- Bucket Watering
- Drip Irrigation
- Athletic Field Irrigation
- Swimming Pools
- Car Washing
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.
