CHARLOTTE, NC – The Catawba-Wateree River Basin is dealing with the early stages of drought, so people across the Charlotte region are being asked to voluntarily conserve water.
The basin provides water to more than two million people in 26 counties in the Carolinas.
Duke Energy. which manages a number of lakes in our area, says dry weather has put the Catawba-Wateree Basin in Stage O drought.
“There are no required actions by the community at this stage, but water and energy conservation are encouraged as we navigate several months of extremely dry weather,” said Phil Fragapane of Duke Energy and the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group coordinator. “We will continue to monitor conditions and provide updates as needed to best protect the shared water supply available to our communities.”
Duke Energy rain gauges show the region has received less than 15 inches of rain in the last six months, or about 62% of long-term average for that period.
Officials say rainfall over the past several days has not been enough to significantly change the underlying drought conditions.
Voluntary Water Conservation guidelines:
- Limit car washing – use a hose-end nozzle to avoid wasting water.
- Limit lawn, garden, and shrubbery watering to the minimum necessary for plants to survive and reuse household water when possible – a healthy lawn needs no more than 1 inch of water per week – water lawns and shrubbery after 10:00 PM or before 6:00 AM to reduce water losses due to evaporation.
- Eliminate washing down of outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, parking lots, service bays or aprons.
- Eliminate continuous running of water while shaving or rinsing dishes.
- Limit the use of washing machines and dishwashers and operate only when fully loaded.
- Use showers instead of bathtubs for bathing and limit showers to no more than four minutes’ duration.
- Limit flushing of toilets by multiple usage, when possible.
- Limit hours of operation of water-cooled air conditioners, when possible.
- Use biodegradable and/or disposable dishes to save on dishwashing.
- Use flow restriction and other water-saving devices where possible.
- Delay new landscape work until the water shortage has ended.
