Updated
Updated · WRAL News · Jun 11
Durham Imposes Stage 2 Water Curbs From June 15 as 16 Dry Days Push Triangle Into Exceptional Drought
Updated
Updated · WRAL News · Jun 11

Durham Imposes Stage 2 Water Curbs From June 15 as 16 Dry Days Push Triangle Into Exceptional Drought

2 articles · Updated · WRAL News · Jun 11

Summary

  • June 15 marks the start of Durham’s Stage 2 restrictions, banning spray and in-ground irrigation with city water and tightening limits on pools, car washing and hard-surface cleaning.
  • Sixteen straight days without measurable rain at Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the driest year on record have pushed Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and parts of Wake County into exceptional drought—the highest category.
  • Hand watering, drip irrigation and normal indoor household use remain allowed in Durham, but officials say the drought could last months and no meaningful rain is in sight.
  • Raleigh remains under Stage 1 rules, allowing limited watering by address and time, while stepping up enforcement after logging 355 violations, 244 educational letters and 10 official warnings since April 20.
  • The Triangle last saw exceptional drought during 2007-2008, and other local governments, including Johnston County, are also pressing residents to cut water use.

Insights

As a record drought grips North Carolina, are water restrictions just a band-aid on a larger infrastructure problem?
This drought is worse than 2007's, so what happens if the promised El Niño rains fail to arrive this winter?
With 82 counties declared disaster areas, will federal aid arrive in time to save farms from this historic drought?