Drought Watch Declaration

Drought Watch Declaration

Rivana Authorities Issues Drought Watch – Albemarle County Residents Encouraged to Conserve Water

Due to below-normal rainfall across our area, the Rivanna Authorities has issued a Drought Watch for Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. The Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) encourages voluntary water conservation measures and adopt water-saving practices to help protect this valuable resource.

A Drought Watch is intended to increase public awareness that conservation of our drinking water is essential as declining stream and reservoir water levels indicate we may be experiencing an extended drought.

If reservoir water levels continue to decline, we may need to request implementation of mandatory water restrictions through the issuance of a Drought Warning.

How You Can Help Conserve Water

Small changes in your daily routine can make a meaningful difference. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recommends the following water-saving practices:

Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and use a cup of water to rinse.
Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl or filled sink instead of under running water.
If pre-rinsing dishes, fill the sink rather than letting the faucet run continuously.
Repair leaking faucets and pipes. Even a slow drip can waste hundreds of gallons of water each month.
Fix leaking toilets promptly. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water each day.
Run dishwashers only when they are full and use water-saving settings whenever possible.
Wash full loads of laundry and select the appropriate water level for each load.
Take shorter showers and consider showering instead of taking baths.
Turn off the faucet while shaving and use water collected in the sink for rinsing.

Every drop counts, and even small conservation efforts can help preserve our community’s water resources during dry conditions.

For additional drought preparedness and water conservation tips, visit https://www.ready.gov/drought or https://serviceauthority.org/water-conservation.

The Albemarle County Service Authority will continue to monitor conditions closely and provide updates as they become available. Thank you for doing your part to help conserve water and protect our community’s water supply.