Charlotte asks residents to cut water use amid drought
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Don't let the spring foliage fool you. Charlotte is in the midst of a drought. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Charlotte Water will roll out voluntary water restrictions Monday, April 20, because of the ongoing drought across North Carolina.
Why it matters: The goal is to reduce non-essential water use now with the hope of avoiding mandatory restrictions in the future, per a release from Charlotte Water.
Context: Charlotte Water is part of the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group, which includes local governments, Duke Energy and natural resource managers.
- The group uses Low Inflow Protocol (LIP) to reduce water use during low inflows into the Catawba River basin, a Charlotte Water spokesperson tells Axios.
- LIP stages include: watch, voluntary reductions, mandatory reductions, extreme and emergency. Stages are updated on the first and 16th of the month.
How it works: During the voluntary stage, Charlotte Water customers will be asked to:
- Limit outdoor watering to two days per week max (Tuesday and Saturday for odd-numbered addresses and Wednesday and Sunday for even-numbered addresses).
- Avoid watering your lawn during the hottest part of the day.
- Limit watering to one inch per week (this measurement includes rainfall).
- Avoid washing driveways, sidewalks and streets.
- Use car washes that recycle water.
- Repair water leaks (think everything from indoor plumbing to outdoor spigots) ASAP.
Flashback: Charlotte Water last implemented voluntary water restrictions in 2023.
The big picture: Much of Mecklenburg County is experiencing an extreme drought. Despite showers forecast for Sunday, they won't bring significant rainfall, WBTV meteorologist Elissia Wilson tells Axios, and dry conditions are expected for most of the coming week.
Zoom out: Other parts of North Carolina are also implementing water restrictions. Residents in other areas, including Raleigh, may incur fines for failing to abide by the water conservation rules.
What we're watching: North Carolina soil is extremely dry during planting season for farmers.
- The United States Department of Agriculture has designated 82 of North Carolina's 100 counties as natural disaster areas due to the drought, N.C. Gov. Josh Stein posted on X Thursday.
- "Farmers in the affected counties may be eligible for emergency loan assistance and other disaster relief programs," Stein posted. It is unclear which counties are eligible for assistance.