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Charlotte Water provides update to county-wide drought dilemma

By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com
By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte leaders will receive an update Monday from city water officials, nearly a week after they initiated voluntary restrictions because of the drought.

Charlotte Water will give an update on the regional drought management plan, which identifies the steps to manage water supply and ways to conserve water.

Last week, leaders placed the Catawba-Wateree Basin in Stage 1 drought and Charlotte Water customers in Mecklenburg County were asked to follow voluntary water restrictions.

Customers should only irrigate their lawns on Tuesdays and Saturdays between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., wash their cars at a professional service, and stop using decorative fountains.

Leaders said major water users share the responsibility of conserving water and need to set priorities to protect the limited water supply.

Small changes can make a difference. When Charlotte Water customers followed the restrictions during the 2015 drought, water usage dropped 7 percent.

Lack of rain is also impacting homeowners and boaters this fall, and more boat ramps across North and South Carolina will close Monday.

The water on Lake Wylie has dropped significantly.

"All of the groundwater reservoirs are declining, streamflow is declining, nothing is moving in the right direction," said Jimmy Bagley who services on Rock Hill's Drought Management Council.

Bagly said the state of South Carolina is already recommending people to go to mandatory restrictions.

Two of three ramps at the Buster Boyd Landing, and all ramps at Ebenezer Park will close. Lake Wylie ramps and two ramps at Alison Creek Landing are already closed.

If the situation does not improve and Charlotte moves to a Stage 2 drought, mandatory restrictions would be put into place.

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