News
April 1, 2008
Rains Raise Lake; Drought Lingers
Soggy weekends, both past and future and forecasts for showers every day this week but Wednesday, are casting a sunny glow on the water supply.
Rains of the past four days totaled 1.0 inches at the Falls Lake Dam rain gauge and lifted the lake to 249.85 feet, which is 1.65 feet below full. The water supply pool is approximately 76.6 percent for a total of 11.2 billion gallons. (The water supply pool is 14.6 billion gallons when full.)
On March 18, the Raleigh City Council gave City Manager J. Russell Allen the authority to return Raleigh’s water conservation status from its current Stage 2 to Stage 1 Amended when the water supply pool climbs to 90 percent. When the lake reaches its full measure of 251.5 feet and the water supply pool is 100 percent, Mr. Allen can return Raleigh’s water customers to Stage 1 restrictions.
The recent rains and continued conservation have combined to stretch Raleigh’s water supply pool to 296 days, which is 10 additional days beyond last week’s report. This projects to Jan. 22, 2009. (This assumes a worst case scenario of no rain during this period and usage remaining at the current level.)
However, the Triangle remains in an “extreme” drought. Rain is predicted for every day this week except April 2. A significant rain event is forecast for the upcoming weekend; meaning a rainfall measuring 1.0 inch or more.
The rain gauge at the Raleigh Durham International Airport measures a 1.6 inch deficit for 2008. Combined with the 7.2-inch deficit of 2007 – according to the National Climatic Data Center the driest of the 113 years of recorded weather history statewide -- the 15-month shortfall is 8.8 inches.
The National Weather Service and North Carolina Climatology Office predict that the La Nina effect that has been enforcing North Carolina’s drought conditions since August 2007 has weakened and there is an equal chance for normal rainfall during the April through September period.
Raleigh’s water customers are continuing their conservation, posting a 37.9 million gallons per day (MGD) 30-day rolling average. This is a 0.1 MGD reduction from last week’s report. The daily pumping average for the 46 days since Stage 2 water restrictions have been in place is 38.2 MGD, a 2.1 MGD or 5.2 percent reduction when compared to the average of approximately 40.3 MGD under Amended Stage 1 restriction.
Since implementing the Stage 2 water restrictions on Feb. 15, 36 citations, carrying a $1,000 penalty, have been issued. Water service could be disrupted in the event of second offenses. A total of 418 citations with a $200 penalty and 13 citations carrying a $1,000 penalty were issued under the Stage 1 and Amended Stage 1 water use restrictions.
The following are the City of Raleigh water system’s Stage 2 Water Conservation 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 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;
- Leaking water services or plumbing will be interrupted immediately upon notification to the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department. Water service will be restored when repairs are completed;
- Prohibit the serving of drinking water in restaurants, except upon request;
- Prohibit all non-essential use of water for commercial or public use;
- Buildings with water-cooled air conditioners or heating equipment that do not recycle City-supplied water must adjust thermostats to the highest or lowest setting available, respectively, except when the occupant’s 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.
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, visit the City’s website at www.raleighnc.gov or 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
|
