North Carolina officials urge continued water conservation despite recent heavy rain

RALEIGH, N.C. – Top state officials are urging North Carolina residents to maintain strict water conservation efforts, warning that a recent wave of heavy rain has not yet undone the damage of a prolonged, months-long drought.

Gov. Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson provided an update Thursday on the state’s water supply. They noted that while a wetter-than-normal July made a dent in the deficit, ground water and major reservoirs remain dangerously low following an exceptionally dry period that began in August 2025.

“Although recent rainfall has made a dent in the problem, we’re not in the clear yet,” Stein said. “I encourage North Carolinians to check their local water system’s conservation status and do their part to use water wisely.”

“It may seem odd to talk about drought and continued water conservation after days of very wet weather, but we need to make up for months of extremely dry conditions,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “Everyone has a part to play in conserving water to ensure that we have sufficient clean water supplies to support our families and our economy.”

According to reporting from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the year-long dry spell previously dragged state water levels down to record lows. While streamflows have mostly returned to normal, groundwater and reservoir levels are struggling to recover.

Data from the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) shows the severity of the deficit. In northern Durham County, the Little River Reservoir sits 12.3 feet below its normal level, while Lake Michie is down 8.8 feet and Falls Lake remains 3.1 feet below normal. Kerr Lake is also stalled at 5.4 feet below its normal pool. By contrast, Jordan Lake in Durham and Chatham counties benefited heavily from recent storms and is near capacity.

Klaus Albertin, a water resources engineer with the DEQ and chair of the DMAC, explained that the weather pattern has finally shifted toward wetter conditions. However, he noted that most current drought impacts are long-term and will require sustained, slightly above-normal rainfall over time to fully resolve.

As of late July, 70 water systems across North Carolina are enforcing mandatory water restrictions, and another 68 systems have voluntary conservation measures in place.

The DMAC’s latest weekly advisory places 47 counties under severe, extreme, or exceptional drought classifications. Brunswick County is currently designated under the most severe “exceptional” drought category, while 11 counties – including Guilford, Granville, and Pender – are experiencing extreme drought conditions. Another 35 counties are classified in a severe drought.

Under state guidelines, water systems in the hardest-hit extreme and exceptional areas must implement their Water Shortage Response Plans, enforce water use reductions, and report their usage data weekly online.

State officials are asking homeowners to limit outdoor watering to before 10 a.m. to prevent evaporation, repair plumbing leaks, use brooms instead of hoses to clean driveways, and run dishwashers only with full loads. Residents using private wells are also advised to watch for signs of failing supply, such as muddy tap water or pump cycling.

To view North Carolina’s current drought map and for other information, visit ncdrought.org.