Recent rainfall provided some welcome relief for Falls Lake and could help delay the need for tighter water restrictions.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Falls Lake's supply pool rose from 62% to 65% after the dam recorded 2.9 inches of rain over the past week.
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Falls Lake is now at 246.2 feet, or 5.3 feet below lake level. A week ago, the lake measured 245.6 feet, or 5.9 feet below lake level.
The forecast calls for dry weather through the rest of the week, so the region isn't out of the woods yet. Still, the recent rain provided a welcome boost to lake levels, at least for now.
Falls Lake is the primary drinking water source for more than 650,000 residents in Raleigh, Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon.
Raleigh Water customers remain under Stage 1 water restrictions, which limit irrigation and require residents to follow a watering schedule based on their home address.
Last week, the Raleigh City Council approved changes that will allow the city to move to Stage 2 water restrictions earlier than previously planned and modify its drought response plan. The changes come after conservation efforts over the past few months failed to reduce water use enough.
Stage 1 water restrictions include:
- Automatic and non-automatic spray irrigation is allowed between midnight and 10 a.m.
- Homes with odd-numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays.
- Homes with even-numbered addresses may water on Wednesdays.
- Landscape irrigation is recommended at a maximum of one-half inch per week.
- Water customers must comply with required water-use reductions and efficiency measures. Penalties apply for noncompliance.
The city and Raleigh Water have been issuing fines to customers who repeatedly violate the restrictions. Residents who see a violation can report it by emailing water.conservation@raleighnc.gov.
