Water restrictions in Cumberland, Moore, Harnett County and more go into effect

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — As the heat and drought in central NC continue to worsen, Fayetteville and Holly Springs have undertaken stage one water conservation measures.

Read more Holiday weekend ‘teen takeover’ in Raleigh leaves nine hurt

Both places are under conservation measures as of Monday, with Fayetteville making the announcement just before 4:30 p.m.

According to the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, stage one is voluntary and asks residents to reduce non-essential water use.

The Fayetteville PWC listed the following as things customers can do to limit their water usage:

• Limiting outdoor washing
• Avoid washing cars, hard surfaces and equipment
• Delay filling or refilling pools, ponds and fountains 
• Avoid non-essential fire hydrant use 
• Do not use treated water for dust control or compaction 

In Holly Springs, stage one conservations went into place Monday, which include:

• Addresses ending in even numbers irrigating Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Addresses ending in odd numbers irrigating Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Holly Springs said no irrigation is permitted on Fridays. 
• Facilities of significant community impact (schools, golf courses, plant nurseries) may irrigate as needed. However, the town said such users must keep non-essential watering to a minimum.
• Hand-watering with containers or hoses, drip hoses, and the use of alternative water sources are not restricted, according to Holly Springs.

More information for Fayetteville water restrictions can be found here, and Holly Springs water restriction information can be found here.

Moore County Public Utilities has asked customers in all of its service areas to voluntarily reduce water usage by 20% beginning Sunday. The request applies to customers in Pinehurst, Seven Lakes, Vass, West End, Hyland Hills and East Moore.

County leaders said the request comes as Moore County remains under severe drought conditions and water consumption has steadily increased over the past several months.

“We haven’t seen a reduction in our supply of water,” Moore County Public Works Director Brian Patnode told CBS 17. “We’ve really seen an increase in the demand of water.”

Patnode said the combination of persistent heat and a lack of rainfall has caused many homeowners to water lawns, gardens, and landscaping more frequently, putting additional strain on the county’s water system.

According to Patnode, Moore County is about 15 inches below its normal rainfall for this time of year.

“We’ve seen a spike in usage steadily over these past few months, and it really came to a head over this July Fourth weekend,” Patnode said.

Read more ‘Don’t mess with mother nature’: Wake County residents recovering after strong storms Monday

Unlike some communities that rely on a single water source, Moore County uses a combination of groundwater wells and treated water purchased from neighboring municipalities. Officials said the water supply remains stable, but the increased demand is placing added pressure on elevated storage tanks that also provide water for emergency response and fire protection.

“It looks like the highest consumption is in the morning,” Patnode said. “We think a lot of people have their irrigation systems set to that 5 a.m., 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. time period.”

County officials said they are not asking residents to stop using water altogether.

“We want people to be able to water and not feel like they can’t do anything,” Patnode said. “We really want people to just keep it in the back of their mind whenever they are using water.”

Moore County is encouraging residents to:

• Repair leaking faucets, toilets and plumbing.
• Water lawns only when necessary and limit irrigation to about one inch per week.
• Keep showers to five minutes when possible.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth or shaving.
• Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.
• Limit car washing and washing paved surfaces.
• Use biodegradable disposable dishes and utensils when practical.

Officials said they are closely monitoring water levels and weather conditions and expect to provide another update Friday.

The Town of Carthage, which operates on a separate water system, is asking customers to avoid watering lawns.

Meanwhile, the Fayetteville Public Works Commission has activated Stage 1 (Alert) of the city’s Water Shortage Response Ordinance.

The voluntary conservation measures ask customers to reduce non-essential water use by:

• Limiting outdoor watering.
• Avoiding washing vehicles and paved surfaces.
• Delaying filling or refilling pools, ponds and fountains.
• Avoiding non-essential fire hydrant use.
• Not using treated water for dust control or soil compaction.

“Small conservation steps made by many can make a big difference,” Fayetteville PWC CEO and General Manager Timothy Bryant said in a statement. “These voluntary measures help save the water supply for essential needs like drinking water, sanitation and fire protection.”

Read more More video expected during hearing in case against man accused of killing Charlie Kirk