Conservation urged for local water customers
Communities throughout the Catawba River Basin are asking customers to conserve water due to reduced lake storage across the region, decreasing streamflows, and current drought conditions. Both the Town of Taylorsville and the City of Hickory have requested their water customers to reduce their water use.
Town of Taylorsville statement
Due to the serious drought situation affecting the entire State of North Carolina, The Town of Taylorsville requests that all water customers practice voluntary water conservation, said Nathan Hester, Town Manager.
Specifically, customers are asked to reduce their water usage by at least 5% by limiting non-essential water use by:
• Limit watering of lawns, landscaping, and other vegetation to not more than two times a week or maximum of one inch of water per week.
• Preventing runoff, water waste, and watering impervious surfaces.
• Limit the washing of vehicles.
• Limit the washing of clothes and dishes to full loads only.
• Using spring loaded nozzles on garden hoses and refrain from using open hoses.
• Inspect and repair all leaks and faulty/defective parts of faucets and toilets.
• Install water-flow-restrictive showerheads and water saving devices in toilets.
• Turn off faucets while shaving, brushing teeth, or rinsing dishes.
• Refrain from filling swimming and wading pools.
The Town of Taylorsville asks all customers to make an effort to conserve as much water as possible. You may contact Town Hall at 828-632-2218 with any questions concerning water conservation.
City of Hickory statement
The City of Hickory, in cooperation with other major water suppliers along the Catawba River, and Duke Energy participate in a joint management effort to properly manage the water resources available within the Catawba River Basin. For more than 20 years, this partnership has overseen the development and implementation of the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP), a shared framework used to guide water management decisions during periods of drought or low water availability.
Due to ongoing dry conditions, Hickory City Manager Warren Wood has declared a Stage 1 LIP condition in accordance with the City’s Water Shortage Response Plan. This declaration is based on lower lake storage levels, declining streamflows, and current drought conditions resulting from this year’s lack of rainfall. Warmer temperatures have further contributed to water loss through increased evaporation.
The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group closely monitors basin conditions and reviews lake levels, streamflow, drought conditions, and groundwater levels each month during drought periods. On April 16, these indicators met the criteria for a Stage 1 LIP declaration.
Stage 1 is the first phase of voluntary water conservation. The goal is to reduce overall water use by 3-5%.
Customers are encouraged to help meet this target by taking simple steps such as:
• Watering outdoors no more than one inch per week
• Reducing lawn and landscape irrigation to no more than two days a week by the following method: (1) Odd addresses may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays. (2) Even addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays. (3) Unnumbered addresses follow the even address schedule.
• Avoiding watering during daytime hours
• Reducing residential vehicle washing
Customers are asked to maintain this 3-5% reduction until further notice.
Areas Affected
The following partner governmental and nonprofit systems served by the City of Hickory are included in the Stage 1 declaration:
• All customers billed directly by the City of Hickory
• Cities of Conover and Claremont
• Towns of Brookford, Catawba, Long View, and Maiden
• Portions of Alexander and Catawba counties
• Icard Township Water Corporation
What’s Next?
If drought conditions continue, higher LIP stages may be declared. Advanced stages include mandatory water conservation measures. The City will provide updates as conditions change.
For questions, customers are encouraged to contact their local water provider. Additional conservation tips are available from the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group at www.catawbawatereewmg.org.
