(adapted from a Charlottesville City Press Release 6/25/24)
The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) has officially declared a drought watch for the Albemarle County and Charlottesville service area. A drought watch is declared to increase public awareness about the climatic conditions and stream flows that indicate there is concern for an impeding drought. The United States Drought Monitoring Report indicates that most of our area is experiencing moderate drought conditions. The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force (VDMTF) issued a drought status report from its June 20, 2024 meeting which indicated that our area is in a drought watch due to below normal precipitation with no near-term forecast of precipitation, increased temperatures, and continued declines of surface and groundwater indicators, particularly stream flows.
As of June 25, 2024, our reservoirs are at 98% of usable capacity. The drought watch has been declared to increase awareness regarding drought conditions and to request voluntary reduction in water use. No mandatory water restrictions have been issued at this time. RWSA will continue to monitor conditions as they evolve and will issue immediate notification to the public if a new drought stage is declared.
If you have questions, please contact the RWSA Director of Administration and Communications Betsy Nemeth at bnemeth@rivanna.org
