Water restrictions are used in North Carolina to protect the supply of drinking water.
Blistering summers and bone-dry autumns are nothing new in North Carolina, and neither are water restrictions during the occasional time of drought. Communities around the state have experienced water restrictions, ranging from limited hours for watering the lawn to requiring paper plates and cups in restaurants. Water restrictions ebb and flow based on seasonal weather predictions, the availability of local water sources and the decisions of each local water authority.
Causes
According to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in 2007-08 the state experienced the worst drought in its 112-year recorded history of rainfall. At least 30 cities and towns faced the possibility of running out of water. Water restrictions in North Carolina are designed to maintain the supply of drinking water, as well as water quality and power generation.
Decisions
Each municipal and large private water utility in North Carolina has a Water Shortage Response Plan to keep reservoirs and rivers from drying up. The plan specifies who has the authority to declare a water shortage locally and respond to varying stages of drought.
In addition, the Drought Management Act signed into law in July 2008 expanded the ability of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to intervene in some cases during severe drought. The law also allows the governor to declare a water shortage emergency and take on emergency powers.
Types
Water restrictions can be voluntary or mandatory, according to the Division of Water Resources "Water Shortage Response Plan (WSRP) Guidelines." Voluntary restrictions typically involve issuing a water shortage advisory and educating residents on conserve. During moderate or severe drought, water restrictions become mandatory and can limit non-essential water uses such as spraying down sidewalks, watering lawns and filling fountains. Depending on the severity of the drought, water restrictions in parts of North Carolina can also change how businesses such as car washes, restaurants, golf courses and greenhouses use water.
Enforcement
All municipalities and large water utilities in North Carolina enforce the rules with an ordinance, code, regulation or resolution. Penalties such as fines depend on the local ordinance.
Though it's not technically enforcement, a few municipalities also encourage customers to conserve by charging higher prices to those who use more water. According to the N.C. Division of Water Resources, municipalities also have the authority to increase prices during an emergency.
Conservation
Even without a drought, municipalities in parts of North Carolina encourage customers to conserve water year-round. Some cities and towns have programs that provide low-flow shower heads or give rebates for rain barrels and more efficient toilets, according to Save Water NC. Other municipalities send out water-saving tips with bills or offer home audit kits to residents. With these programs, water utilities strive to lower the impact of the next drought.
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