Water Management - Water Conservation Information

Showers under 5 minutes can save 1000 gallons a month.

Current Conditions

Days of Supply

Using the 30-day running average demand as of May 8, 2008 of 23.07 MGD:

Days of supply of easily accessible, premium water remaining (Lake Michie, Little River Reservoir): 275 days
Days in Teer Quarry storage remaining: 16 days
Days of less accessible water below the intake structures remaining: 52 days
Total days of supply = 343

Demand

View a graph of recent demand

Demand May 08, 2008	Month-to-Date Average	May 2007 Average
24.20 MGD	23.73 MGD	31.18 MGD

Lake Elevations

Lake Michie Elevation: 341.00 feet, mean sea level.
Lake Michie is full at 341.00 feet, mean sea level.

Little River Reservoir Elevation: 355.00 feet, msl.
Little River Reservoir is full at 355.00 feet, msl.

View a graph of this month's lake levels.
View comparative graphs of historical lake elevations.

Streamflow

The Flat River feeds into Lake Michie and the Little River feeds into Little River Reservoir. Linked below are the real-time flow rates of these rivers:
Flat River**
Little River**

Stage III - Moderate Mandatory Conservation Modifications Enacted, effective April 1, 2008

Para una lista de restricciones en español, por favor haz clic aquí.

Stage III of the ordinance incorporates practices in Stage I and II and sets the level of conservation efforts to require the following Mandatory Measures:

Customers may water lawns, grass, trees, shrubbery, flowers, golf greens or vegetable gardens on Wednesdays and Saturdays ONLY, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. OR 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Customers may only water during ONE of the allowed times each Wednesday and Saturday.
Do NOT wash down outside areas such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, or for other similar purposes.
Do NOT introduce water into wading pools or swimming pools except to the extent necessary to replenish losses due to evaporation or spillage, and maintain operation of chemical feed equipment. Special consideration may also be given for one-time draining, refilling, maintenance, and cleaning activities for both community and private pools.
Do NOT serve water in a restaurant or similar establishment except upon request.
Do NOT use water for any unnecessary purpose or intentionally waste water.
Do NOT wash the exterior of a motor vehicle except where a private well system is used, or where 50 percent or more of the water is recycled or where it can be demonstrated that 30 gallons of water or less are used to wash the vehicle.

Customers may secure a written license from the city manager (or his designee) to use water contrary to the Stage III mandatory conservation measures if it can be shown to the manager's satisfaction that the licensee's use of water will result in an overall thirty (30) percent or greater reduction in water use. Any license issued pursuant to this provision: (1) must be in the possession of the licensee whenever water is used contrary to the Stage III mandatory conservation measures; and (2) is subject to amendment or revocation by the city manager at any time for good cause.

Customers regularly engaged in the sale of plants are permitted to use water for irrigation of their commercial stock in trade, using the minimal amount for survival.

All industrial, manufacturing and commercial enterprises shall reduce consumption with a goal reduction of at least 30 percent. Such enterprises shall document the specific efforts they have made to reduce consumption.

View the Water Conservation Ordinance
Water Conservation Tips

Click here to report a violation of the Stage III Restrictions.

Drought Information

The following two graphs compare aspects of the drought of 1933 and 1934 (during the dustbowl years) with the drought that occurred in 2001 and 2002.
Flat River Flows: 1933-1934 vs. 2001-2002
Precipitation: 1933-1934 vs. 2001-2002
NC State Drought Conditions**

Got a leak? Find out how much water you're wasting with the WaterWiser Drip Calculator**.

*All data is provisional and subject to change.
**not a City of Durham site