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This watch impacts more than one million residents within the county and six million residents across the DC area.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — The Drought Coordination Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has placed Montgomery County under a Drought Watch.
Residents and businesses in Montgomery County are being asked to take voluntary measures to conserve water, to help reduce demand on the regions water supply. This watch impacts more than one million residents within the county and six million residents across the D.C. area.
In the early 1980s, three water supply reservoirs were built in the area to provide water during droughts. These reservoirs are currently full, despite the Potomac River running low. The low flow in the river is what caused the Drought Watch. If necessary, the reservoirs can be emptied into the river to supplement river flow.
WUSA9 Meteorologist Makayla Lucero spoke with Shannon Moore, the Director of Energy and Environment for Frederick County, and she gave more details about the current water supply.
“We're at a point where if we continue to use it at the rate that we're using it without having it be replenished, we're going to start decreasing the amount of water that we have and that will lead to a drought warning, which we don't want because at that point we would have involuntary water restrictions," Moore said. "So right now, we're just in a Drought Watch; we have voluntary water reductions, and this is actually the first Drought Watch that we have seen issued in the region since 2010.”
It is important to note that there is a difference between a drought watch and warning.
Drought watches and warnings are similar to weather watches and warnings.
A Drought Watch means we have the right ingredients for dangerous drought conditions, but we aren’t experiencing them at that time.
A Drought Warning means we are experiencing dangerous drought conditions.
To avoid a Drought Warning, experts and county officials are asking residents to cut back on their usage a little. There are small ways you can make a big impact, here are a few:
- Monitor watering lawns, plants and shrubs.
- Sweep sidewalks and driveways (instead of using a hose).
- Avoid washing your car, or instead use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
- Fix any plumbing leaks – especially toilets and faucets.
- Reduce shower length to under five minutes.
- Turn off water while brushing your teeth.
- Wash full loads of dishes and clothes.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said, “I encourage all residents and businesses to use water wisely as part of their daily routines. Practicing smart water use is important now and will also help us learn how to conserve water in the long run as we face potential future dry conditions."
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