News
December 12, 2007
Raleigh's Water Supply Dips Below 100 Days
The continuing exceptional drought has drained City of Raleigh water customers’ water supply to 96 days. City Manager J. Russell Allen has the City Council’s permission to implement Stage 2 Mandatory Conservation Measures should Falls Lake shrink to a 90-day supply.
The measures:
- Prohibit the use of public water for irrigation;
- Prohibit filling new swimming or wading pools. Water may be added to pools to maintain sanitary operating conditions. Filling of pools drained for repair is prohibited;
- Prohibit washing vehicles at any location, except at car-washing facilities that have been certified by the City to be in compliance with the requirements of the conservation certification program. A total of 19 car washes have been certified under the conservation program. (They are listed at the bottom of this release.) A placard issued by the City must be displayed on the car wash facility. Also, the City may approve the washing of some vehicles for sanitary purposes (such as solid waste trucks);
- Prohibit washing of areas such as sidewalks, patios, decks, driveways, parking lots, streets and exterior building surfaces, except for soiled areas for the maintenance of public health and sanitary conditions;
- Require that leaking water services or plumbing be repaired within 24 hours of written notification by the City’s Public Utilities Director or service will be interrupted;
- Prohibit the serving of drinking water in restaurants, except upon request;
- Prohibit all non-essential use of water for commercial or public use;
- Prohibit use of water-cooled air conditioners or other equipment that does not recycle cooling water, except when health and safety are adversely affected;
- Require innkeepers to ask guests spending more than one night to use their towels and bed linens more than once between laundering; and,
- Direct commercial and industrial customers to review water uses and implement industry specific best management water conservation practices.
First violation of the Stage 2 ordinance carries a fine of $1,000. Any recurrence of the violation may result in interruption of water service. A two-week grace period, in which the initial fine will be $250, will be observed when Stage 2 restrictions are enacted.
Current Conditions
Falls Lake currently stands at 241.77 feet, which is 9.73 feet below full and 0.99 feet below the previous record low set before this drought on Nov. 27, 1993. (Download Lake Level Comparison Chart here in pdf format.)
The current 30-day pumpage demand average is 40.40 million gallons daily (MGD), which is a decrease of 0.40 MGD from a week ago. Falls Lake’s water supply pool is 26.6 percent, which amounts to a 96-day water supply pool, which projects to March 18, 2008. (This assumes the worst case scenario of no rain during the period and demand at the current level.)
According to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) rain gauge at Raleigh Durham International Airport, the area is 9.62 inches below normal rainfall for year-to-date 2007. While the NWS is forecasting rain for Dec. 14 or Dec. 15, it is not predicted to be a significant amount. A more substantial rain of one inch is forecast for Sunday, Dec. 16.
Amended Stage 1 water restrictions, which went into effect Oct. 23, have resulted in a 23 percent reduction. A reduction of 38 percent has been realized since Aug. 28 when mandatory water use restrictions were implemented. A total of 396 citations, which carry a $200 fine and 12 $1,000 penalties have been issued for the 12 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.
For more information on Stage 2 water restrictions, call the City’s Public Utilities Department at 857-4540.
Certified Car Washes
The following is a list of car washes the City has certified as in compliance with its water conservation requirements. These facilities may continue operating when Stage 2 measures are enacted:
- American Pride on Atlantic Avenue
- American Pride on Millbrook Road
- American Pride in Wake Forest
- American Pride in Knightdale
- American Pride on Capital Boulevard
- American Pride in Brier Creek
- American Pride on Highway 70
- Autowash Express on Signet Road
- Autowash Express on Six Forks Road
- Auto Bell on T.W. Alexander Drive
- Auto Bell in Knightdale
- Auto Bell on Highway 70
- Bunky’s Carwash on Glenwood Avenue
- Northridge Auto Spa on Sandy Forks Road
- Wake Forest Auto Spa in Wake Forest
- Big B’s Carwash
- Family Carwash on Western Boulevard
- Mr. Carwash Auto Spa.
Prepared by:
Jayne Kirkpatrick
Director
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Ed Buchan
Water Conservation Specialist
Public Utilities Department
P.O. Box 590
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-857-4540
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