Water use restrictions: What you can and can't do in your community as drought deepens

Much of North Carolina is in a severe drought, with parts of the Triangle in extreme drought conditions. As a result, several municipalities, including Raleigh and Fuquay-Varina, have implemented water restrictions. 

 The city of Raleigh implemented Stage 1 water-use restrictions effective Monday, April 20, until further notice to safeguard the local water supply.

Here's what to know about Raleigh's water restrictions:

Q: What are Raleigh's Stage 1 water restrictions?

Raleigh's Stage 1 water restrictions impact outdoor watering and landscaping. Here's what to know: 

• Automatic and non-automatic spray irrigation is allowed between midnight and 10 a.m. Homes with odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays. Homes with even-numbered addresses may water on Wednesdays. 
• Irrigation of landscapes is recommended at a maximum of one-half inch per week. 
• Water customers must abide by required water use reductions and efficiency measures; penalties apply for noncompliance. 

For full Stage 1 water-use restrictions, visit RaleighNC.gov and search “drought.”

Q: Who falls under Raleigh's water restrictions?

In addition to Raleigh's water customers, some surrounding towns -- Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon -- all rely on water from the city of Raleigh. It's possible other areas could also impose restrictions as the drought continues. 

Q: How long could Raleigh's water restrictions last?

City of Raleigh environmental coordinator Ed Buchan estimates that the Stage 1 water-use restrictions will continue through at least June, and possibly longer.

"This is a difficult question to answer accurately, but I can say that the forecast for May and June suggests our area may receive above-average amounts of rainfall," Buchan said. "If this occurs in a meaningful way, we could rescind triggers sometime in June or July, as it seems unlikely we will receive enough rainfall in May."

Q: How will Raleigh's water restrictions be enforced, and will people be fined?

Irrigation is monitored using metering technology, and city staff and code enforcement inspectors will also monitor water usage. According to the city of Raleigh's website, the city "will focus on education first, ensuring Raleigh Water customers understand the importance of the conservation measures. Residents who are caught violating the restrictions will be given a warning. After the first infraction, violators will receive civil penalties for subsequent violations."

Q: What would it take for Raleigh's restrictions to reach Stage 2?

Buchan estimates that, based on the current water levels at Falls Lake, it is unlikely the city of Raleigh would enter Stage 2 water restrictions during this drought.

"To enter into Stage 2 in May, the water supply remaining at Falls Lake would need to reach 55%, and it's at 84% currently," Buchan said. "I do not anticipate us entering Stage 2 anytime soon, and likely not at all."

Q: When was the last time Raleigh had water restrictions, and have we ever reached Stage 3, which keeps people from washing their cars or filling their swimming pools?

Raleigh hasn't imposed water restrictions since our last serious drought in 2007 and 2008. Stage 3 did not exist back then, but the city did prohibit all outdoor water use except for sanitation purposes.

Q: What steps have been taken to ensure there is enough water?

Buchan said the city of Raleigh has added a lot of water resources since the last drought, including Lake Wheeler, Lake Benson and a 5.6 billion gallon addition in Falls Lake.

The demand for water has also increased with population growth. According to Buchan, the average use in 2007 was 52 million gallons per day, and it's now around 60 million gallons per day.

Q: Could the city of Raleigh shut off water if the drought gets worse?

A: Interruption of water service is not imposed in Phase 1, Phase 2 or Phase 3. The only time the City might interrupt service is if you violate the rules multiple times or in egregious ways. The first few violations carry fines (different costs depend on what phase we are in). But if you do something crazy, then, yes, they can interrupt your water service, but they would send a notice beforehand.

Q: The current water restrictions mainly impact landscaping and outdoor watering. Will water ever be limited in other ways? 

The purpose of water restrictions is to ensure there is enough water for drinking, cooking, health care, sanitation and other essentials. Car washing, power washing and filling swimming pools are not even restricted until Stage 3, so it's unlikely the water restrictions will impact much more than your yard. 

Q: Is power washing permitted?

It's not restricted in phase 1. But it would be restricted in phase 2.

Q: Do businesses have restrictions?

Yes. Restaurants can't serve water unless customers request. Hotels must ask guests to use towels more than once before the hotel staff can wash those towels. The caveat here is that those rules are in place year-round. Phase 1 does say that businesses should look into water conservation specific to their industry.

Q: What about athletic fields?

Among the exemptions in phase 1 rules is irrigation of athletic fields. So they are good to water there.

Q: What about people on wells?

A: If you are on a service like "Aqua" - they will get in touch with you about this. If it is a private well, there are no restrictions, but you are encouraged to conserve if you can.

Q: Do businesses have restrictions?

Yes. Restaurants can't serve water unless customers request. Hotels must ask guests to use towels more than once before the hotel staff can wash those towels. The caveat here is that those rules are in place year-round. Phase 1 does say that businesses should look into water conservation specific to their industry.

Q: What about athletic fields?

Among the exemptions in phase 1 rules is irrigation of athletic fields. So they are good to water there.

Q: Are there any plans to dredge the reservoirs to increase their capacity?

Answer from City of Raleigh employee Ed Buchanan: In short, the answer is “no,” as this would be something that would have to be undertaken by the US Army Corps of Engineers (they own and operate Falls Lake). The expense would be enormous, as they would need to remove massive quantities of soil, which in many cases has metals in it and other contaminants. And that means finding a place to put the removed soil would be very, very difficult. I think dredging for smaller reservoirs like Lake Wheeler or Lake Benson is much more plausible in terms of expense and how long it would take, but those reservoirs are relatively small, so even adding 25% more storage volume doesn’t make a truly meaningful, long-term impact.

The town of Fuquay-Varina will activate Stage 1 water conservation measures effective April 24.

The goal of Stage 1 is to reduce overall water consumption by 10%. During Stage 1, Town water customers must abide by the following restrictions. Read the full ordinance here.

Automated irrigation systems

When watering outdoor landscaping with automated irrigation (sprinklers and irrigation systems), customers must follow this schedule:

• If your address ends in an even number, you may only water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• If your address ends in an odd number, you may only water on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Customers may hand-water at any time using a handheld watering device. The device must be actively held while in use. Drip irrigation systems are also allowed and do not have to follow the schedule.

Other Fuquay-Varina restrictions:

• No washing down of outside areas (such as driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, building/home exteriors, patios, etc.), unless by a business licensed to do so.
• Only wash vehicles at home on Saturdays and Sundays.
• New and existing pools cannot be completely filled.

Enforcement:

• 1st violation: warning
• 2nd violation: $50 fine
• 3rd violation: suspension of water service

Towns like Apex and Cary operate independent water systems, relying primarily on Jordan Lake as their main water source. Raleigh, on the other hand, depends heavily on Falls Lake.

Here's some of the towns in the Triangle area and what local leaders told us about determining whether to enact restrictions based on their water supply.

In the city of Durham, Stage 2 water restrictions went into effect on Monday, June 15.

What is allowed in Durham

• Hand watering: Drip irrigation, hand watering, and tree or shrub watering bags are still allowed.
• There are no household restrictions for residents using water for cooking, bathing, drinking, etc.

What isn't allowed in Durham

• There are no watering days under Stage 2. Spraying or in-ground irrigation of landscapes with city water is not allowed (you can still use your hose by hand).
• Decorative fountains and ponds: Don't add water unless the water is recycled.
• Pools: Add water only to replace evaporation or spillage and to keep chemical feeders running.
• No washing cars unless at a commercial car wash
• No washing hard surfaces: Don't use city water to clean sidewalks, driveways, decks, or building exteriors, except for a health or safety issue, or before painting.

Durham residents who fail to comply with water restrictions could be fined $100 or $250. Those with repeated violations could see their water service shut off.  

Cary operates the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility, (CAWTF), which is a jointly owned facility by Cary and Apex. We supply treated drinking water sourced from Jordan Lake and treated at CAWTF to our citizens and customers in Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Wake County’s portion of Research Triangle Park and the RDU Airport. The water supply pool within Jordan Lake is dependent upon the water level and the rate of withdrawal. The normal pool elevation of Jordan Lake is elevation 216 feet. Presently, the level of Jordan Lake is just above the normal pool elevation at 216.44 feet, which means our allocation for water supply is full at this time. 

As of Sunday, April 26, the town of Holly Springs has not adopted any restrictions, but said they are following with Harnett Couty Regional Water, which expects to adopt some restrictions within the next week.

The current water supply is at 90%. Historically, we are typically between 95-to-100% this time of year, so about 5% below normal. The county's Water Shortage Response Plan calls for a water shortage advisory if we get down to 70% storage for this time of year (from mid-April to mid-September). 

The town's depth as of April 14 was almost 49 feet, which equates to about 262 days of water at our current demand and release. Restrictions trigger with 120 days of remaining.

On June 23, the city said the West Fork Eno Reservoir's water level is 46.4 feet, which is about 336 days of water supply. Voluntary water restrictions begin when there is 180 days of water left.

The West Fork Eno Reservoir can hold 53 feet of water. That is almost 1.2 billion gallons of water. Each day, the town and its customers use around 2.2 gallons of water, according to the town of Hillsborough.

For now, the town is under voluntary Stage 1 restrictions. This includes:

• Providing weekly reservoir levels and water usage statistics
• Recommending ways to reduce water usage
• Recommending customers reduce water usage by 10%

The town reminds customers of the year-round rules for watering plants and lawns.

• All hoses must have shut-off nozzles for hand watering
• Plants and lawns should receive no more than 1 inch of water in a given week

The rules for customers with spray irrigation systems are:

• Ensure irrigation systems have moisture sensors
• Limit use to three times a week between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Know when to water
  • Even-numbered properties can water on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
  • Odd-numbered properties can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Supplemental irrigation permits can be bought. Eligible customers must have either an active building permit or a certificate of completeness or occupancy permit issued within the last 90 days. Properties can't receive more than one permit in five years. 

Rocky Mount has issued mandatory stage I water conservation measures with the goal of getting a minimum 10 percent reduction in average daily water demand. Customers may irrigate lawns, shrubbery and gardens no more than two times per week between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Those west of U.S. 301 can water their lawns Thursdays and Sundays while customers east of U.S. 301 can do so on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Check the city's website for more details.

Orange Alamance Water is currently not on water restrictions. The area operates under a purchase/source water system. The area buys water from the Town of Haw River who buys from the City of Burlington, If Burlington declares water restrictions then we would have to as well. Our source water comes from the Eno River which is monitored by the Orange County Planning and Inspections Department. After speaking with them today and not much rain forecasted we could be looking to start restrictions in the next few weeks.

TriRiver Water is not experiencing a water shortage at this time. We have multiple water plants that pull water from different areas, and generally speaking our supply is very resilient.

Johnston County are encouraging customers to reduce non-essential water use whenever possible. That includes limiting outdoor watering, washing vehicles less often, and fixing leaks around homes and businesses.

While the conservation request is voluntary, customers are reminded that year-round outdoor watering restrictions remain in place under Johnston County’s mandatory conservation policy.

Under those rules:

• Odd-numbered addresses may irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Even-numbered addresses may irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
• No irrigation is allowed on Mondays.

Residents filling swimming pools should follow the same schedule as their designated irrigation days.

Johnston County Public Utilities said it will continue monitoring river levels, water demand, and drought conditions and provide updates as needed.

Wilson County imposed mandatory limits on water use effective June 19. County water customers re required to:

• Reduce water use by about 10% compared to May 2026;

• Limit lawn and landscape irrigation to ½” per week, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

• No washing of driveways or sidewalks

• All testing and training requiring drinking water (e.g. fire protection) will be limited

The limits in Wilson County do not apply to properties in the City of Wilson.

Q: How serious is this drought?

WRAL meteorologists are closely monitoring our drought. So far, it's the driest year-to-date on record at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In addition to water restrictions, we still have a statewide burn ban in place until further notice.

Extreme drought conditions, shown in red have expanded across central North Carolina. The latest data shows the worsening drought is expected to last through the summer.

The Triangle would need 12 to 15 inches of rain in a month to return to a drought-free status. There's just a 1% to 2% chance that this could happen within the next month.