Durham, N.C. – The city’s water utility announced that the reservoirs currently hold enough water for roughly 78 days of normal consumption. The projection assumes no additional rainfall or inflow and does not factor in operational measures the city could take to augment supply.
Stage 2 restrictions remain in effect
Since June, Durham residents have been under Stage 2 water restrictions, limiting outdoor watering and other non‑essential uses. The Water Efficiency Manager, James Lim, explained that the 78‑day figure is a baseline, not a hard deadline. “The way that number works is it assumes we have no additional inflow, and it also doesn’t take into account some of the things we might do operationally to sort of access additional water, purchase water, that kind of thing,” Lim said.
Potential move to Stage 3
Under the city’s drought‑response plan, Stage 3 would be triggered if there is a 10 % chance that reservoir levels fall below 25 % of capacity within an eight‑week window. To date, the city has issued 19 formal warnings for violations of the current restrictions.
Regional context and future plans
While Durham’s reservoirs are low, nearby Falls and Jordan Lakes are not as depleted because they draw from larger watersheds. “When you get rain in other parts of the state, they benefit a lot more than we do in our reservoirs,” Lim noted. The city is pursuing a long‑term plan to pump and treat water from Jordan Lake for Durham use. “It’s not going to help this year, but it’s part of our plan to help mitigate these things going forward,” he added.
What residents can do
The City of Raleigh, which shares parts of Wake County with Durham, is also urging water conservation as sections of the county sit under extreme drought. Residents are encouraged to follow the Stage 2 guidelines, fix leaks promptly, and consider using water‑saving appliances.
Looking ahead
Lim emphasized that the city continues to monitor weather patterns and reservoir levels closely. If conditions worsen, officials are prepared to implement additional measures, including the potential Stage 3 restrictions, to protect the water supply for all Durham families.
For the latest updates on water restrictions and drought status, Durham residents can visit the city’s official water‑conservation webpage.
Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.
