With most of Columbus County now in a severe drought, Whiteville officials are urging more conservation by residential water customers.
“According to the city Water Response Plan, customers are expected to reduce their water use by ten percent in comparison to the previous month’s bill,” City Emergency Management Director Hal Lowder said in a press release. “Outdoor use of drinking water for washing impervious surfaces is prohibited. All testing and training purposes requiring drinking water (i.e. fire protection) will be limited.”
Lowder said in the statement that rain across the region has been “hit or miss” for most of the last week. Due to high temperatures, much of what rainfall does make it to the ground is evaporated before it can be absorbed by plants or the soil.
“Well above average rainfall is necessary to make up for weekly losses of soil moisture due to high temperatures.”
The Forest Service raised its Readiness Level to Four over the weekend due to worsening wildfire conditions. The agency has personnel and equipment prepositioned and on stand by in a number of areas.
