Durham water efficiency manager James Lim explained why the city implemented its Stage 2 Water Shortage response on Monday, skipping Stage 1 altogether. The city’s Lake Michie is only about 40% full, and the Little River Reservoir is about 61% full.

Restrictions and Penalties

Stage 2 restrictions are more restrictive than Stage 1, which would have allowed irrigation one day a week. Under Stage 2, all spray irrigation is eliminated, while hand watering and drip irrigation are still allowed. Car washing at home is also eliminated, and people will have to go to a commercial car wash. Pressure washing is limited to prior to painting.

City staff is working to educate others about restrictions and will respond to reports from the public. Fines for non-compliance could be $100 or $250, with a more severe penalty of service termination. The goal is to reduce water consumption by 30%.

In addition to following the restrictions, residents can also help save water by taking shorter showers, collecting water for other uses while waiting for it to get warm, and turning off water while brushing their teeth.

Original reporting: WRAL Raleigh — read the source article.