Fayetteville activates Stage 1 water restrictions. Check limits on use in your town

Much of North Carolina is in a severe drought, with parts of the Triangle in extreme and exceptional drought conditions. Many communities, including Raleigh and Durham, have implemented water restrictions. 

At Falls Lake in Raleigh, the Hickory Hill boat ramp is closed due to the water low level.

The latest drought monitor reports release each Thursday at 9 a.m.

Q: How serious is this drought?

WRAL meteorologists are closely monitoring our drought. For weeks, 2026 was the driest year-to-date on record at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. As of June 25, we have dropped to the second-driest on record.

"We've had 11.28 inches so far this year, [and] that's 8.92 inches below normal," WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said. "We still need rain for sure."

Portions of the area north of Raleigh are facing exceptional drought conditions, shown in dark red. Extreme drought conditions, shown in red, have expanded across central North Carolina. The latest data shows the drought is expected to last through the summer.

Raleigh officials caution we could be seeing a "drought of record," the most serious drought the area has ever experienced, thanks to the absence of precipitation in the first half of the year.

"We need it to rain in Durham, Granville County and the northern part of Wake County to make an impact. It really needs to rain at the right place and ideally for a long period of time," Raleigh Water assistant director Ed Buchan said.

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.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission activated Stage 1 water restrictions for the city. The city said it is voluntary and is asking customers to reduce non-essential water use to protect the community water supply.

During the restrictions, customers are encouraged to do the following:

• Limit outdoor watering 
• Avoid washing vehicles, equipment and hard surfaces.
• Delay filling or refilling pools, ponds and fountains.
• Avoid non-essential fire hydrant use. 
• Do not use treated water for dust control or compaction.

Holly Springs has enacted a stage 1 water shortage alert starting on July 6. The action is going into effect after guidance from Harnett County, the town's water provider.

The guidelines include:

• Addresses ending in EVEN numbers may irrigate Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 6 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.

• Addresses ending in ODD numbers may irrigate Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 6 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 10 p.m.

• No irrigation is permitted on Fridays.

• Facilities of significant community impact (schools, golf courses, plant nurseries) may irrigate as needed. However, such users must keep non-essential watering to a minimum.

• Hand-watering with containers or hoses, drip hoses, and the use of alternative water sources are not restricted.

The Town of Carthage in Moore County has the most stringent limits on water use so far. 

Effective Monday, July 6, all non-essential outdoor water use is prohibited. No watering of lawns, gardens, landscaped areas, parks or other recreational areas is permitted.

There are exceptions for commercial nurseries, agriculture and golf greens.

All customers are asked to:

• Take shorter showers.
• Run dishwashers and washing machines only when full.
• Repair leaking faucets, toilets, and irrigation systems.
• Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving.

 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:

• 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. 

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 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: 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: 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: 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.

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

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

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.  

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). 

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.

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 is 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.

Nash County put in place Mandatory Stage 1 Water Shortage Condition for all Nash County Public Utilities water customers.

These conditions include:

• Watering gardens and lawns only on Thursdays and Sundays between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
• Not filling up pools, fountains, ponds, or other structures that hold water
• Not washing outside areas like streets, sidewalks, patios, parking lots, and outside of home or buildings
• Not using water for dust control or compaction
• Not washing cars, trailers, boats, airplanes, or other mobile equipment
• Not using water from public or private fire hydrants except for fires or other emergencies
• Only serving water to customers in restaurants or other eating places when it is requested

For the first violation, residents receive a warning. On the second violation, there is a $100 fine. The third violation includes a $250 fine.