The public should check with their local water supply systems for any information on water use restrictions that may be in place. 

Rainfall totals recorded by gages across the state have been well below normal for the last six months, based on data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Some areas are down more than 15 inches from normal since the drought started in August,  according to the NC State Climate Office. 

“We get a lot of questions asking, “It rained, is the drought over?” Peele said. “With some areas in a more than 15-inch deficit, we are going to need almost twice the normal amount of rainfall per week for a few months to get out. It’s also going to get hotter, and we are going to peak growing season, where water demands are higher.” 

A lack of rainfall impacts not just surface water, but recharge for groundwater levels. Groundwater also helps to feed streams, which in turn, impacts stream flow, said Mark Durway, hydrogeologist with DEQ’s Division of Water Resources Groundwater Resources Branch. 

“Groundwater levels are dropping because we haven’t had enough rain, so we don’t have recharge or infiltration of that water into the ground,” Durway said. “Water users should follow any conservation measures provided by their systems. Private well owners experiencing low flow, low pressure, sputtering faucets, discolored water or sediment which may indicate low water levels should contact an N.C.-certified well driller.”