News
January 30, 2008
La Nina's Staying Until Spring; Use Is Rising
The La Nina effect that has kept the Triangle in the grip of the worst drought in history will likely keep its stranglehold on the area until spring, according to the long-term update from the National Weather Service (NWS) and the North Carolina Climatology Office. This prognostication, along with paltry forecasts for precipitation in the coming week, suggests strongly that the exceptional drought status will be retained for the foreseeable future.
The City Council will be prepared to consider heightened water conservation measures at its Feb. 5 meeting.
Falls Lake is down to 242.85 feet, which is 8.65 feet below full. Adding the 2007 rainfall deficit of 7.2 inches to the 2.5-inch deficit that we have racked up in 2008, brings the current rain deficit to 9.7 inches.
The current 30-day pumpage demand average is 40.5 million gallons daily (MGD), which is 0.9 MGD more than last week’s average and 0.2 MGD more than the average for the past 13 weeks when Amended Stage 1 mandatory water use restrictions went into effect. Falls Lake’s 109-day water supply pool projects to May 17 and reflects a three-day extension over last week’s projection. (This assumes the worst case scenario of no rain during the period and demand at the current level.)
Amended Stage 1 water restrictions, which went into effect Oct. 23, have resulted in a 24 percent reduction. A reduction of 39 percent has been realized since Aug. 28 when mandatory water use restrictions were implemented. A total of 417 citations, which carry a $200 fine and 13 $1,000 penalties have been issued for the 23 weeks Raleigh has been under mandatory water use restrictions.
The water conservation restrictions apply to all City of Raleigh water customers, including those in towns that have merged water and sewer systems with Raleigh. Those towns are Garner, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.
The City Council has set 35 gallons per day as the goal for individual water consumption. The council unanimously supported a motion to ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (which operates Raleigh’s water source, Falls Lake) to increase the lake’s operating level and use to allow use of the sedimentation pool permanently. Mayor Charles Meeker pointed out that presently only 13 percent of the lake’s water is used for consumption and that raising that to 17 percent would be enormously beneficial.
Mayor Meeker reminded all Raleigh water customers that low-flow devices are to be in place by March 1. The City is purchasing the devices in bulk and will work with church and civic groups in disseminating them to residents with lower incomes.
The City also is working with its largest water customers, North Carolina State University, the State of North Carolina, Wake County and the Wake County Public Schools, as well the Homebuilders Association of Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau to further encourage water conservation.
The National Climatic Data Center has reported that 2007 was the driest year in 113 years of recorded weather history in North Carolina.
For more information on ways to conserve water, telephone the City’s Public Utilities Department at 857-4540.
Prepared by:
Jayne Kirkpatrick
Director
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Dale Crisp
Director
Public Utilities Department
One Exchange Plaza, Suite 620
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-857-4540
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