Durham water supply drops to 81 days amid ongoing drought
City reservoirs sit at 31% capacity, prompting officials to monitor conditions that could trigger stricter Stage 3 usage limits.
By Jenna Mitchell ·
Residents and businesses in Durham, North Carolina, face a shrinking water supply as the city’s two primary reservoirs hold only 81 days of remaining water. The current storage levels stand at 31% of combined capacity, a decline that has placed the local water system under continued strain during the ongoing drought.
Lake Michie, one of the main sources, currently sits 12.71 feet below its full level of 341 feet. Little River Reservoir, the other primary source, is even lower, sitting 19.08 feet below its full level of 355 feet. Drought conditions vary across Durham County, with some areas classified as moderate and others as severe, contributing to the overall drop in storage.
To maintain supply, Durham is drawing from alternative sources, including Teer Quarry and Jordan Lake. Joe Lunne, a senior public information analyst with the Department of Water Management, explained that the city holds an allocation from Jordan Lake but lacks the direct infrastructure to treat and withdraw that water. Instead, Durham pays the Town of Cary to treat the water and deliver it through interconnected systems. The city also purchases water from the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, which serves Chapel Hill and Carrboro using water from Cane Creek Reservoir, University Lake, and Quarry Reservoir. Lunne noted that Durham has increased the volume of water received from both Cary and OWASA as the drought persists.
The city is currently under Stage 2 restrictions, which limit outdoor water use and require large consumers to cut usage. Residents may not use sprinklers or spray irrigation, though hand watering with a hose or can remains allowed. Decorative fountains and ponds may only receive water if it is recycled. Vehicle washing is prohibited with city water except at commercial car washes. Restaurants must wait for customers to request drinking water, and businesses using more than 100,000 gallons per day must reduce consumption by 30%.
Officials are monitoring the possibility of moving to Stage 3 restrictions. According to Lunne, the city would trigger this stage if forecasts indicate at least a 10% chance that combined reservoir storage could fall to 25% within the next eight weeks. "While we are getting close to hitting the trigger for Stage 3, we aren't there yet," Lunne said. Rain is forecast for the next few days, which may provide temporary relief to the system.
