N.J. declares drought watch in Morris County region

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials are urging residents to voluntarily conserve water after issuing a water-supply drought watch for much of New Jersey, including Morris County.

The drought watch is prompted by continued dry weather, above-average temperatures and overall rainfall deficits that have decreased reservoir, ground water and streamflow levels. Portions of 12 counties are part of the watch, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union.

“We have been carefully tracking precipitation, stream flows, groundwater and reservoir levels since the spring and over the course of the very dry summer,” Commissioner Bob Martin stated in an announcement on Wednesday. “While it is not uncommon to see reduced stream flows and groundwater levels by the end of the summer season, we are beginning to observe signs of stress in our water supply indicators, and this warrants closer scrutiny and public cooperation.”

“In times like these, all Morris County residents, businesses, schools, institutions and municipalities should reduce water consumption to ensure we have an adequate supply of potable water in coming weeks and months, until we start to get more precipitation," said Morris County Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo.

David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist at Rutgers University, told the Daily Record earlier this month that portions of Northern New Jersey, including Lake Hopatcong, had been placed in the "moderate drought" category on the National Drought Monitor.

Martin said the purpose of the watch is to raise public awareness, formally alert all water suppliers in the region of the situation, and to seek voluntary cooperation to preserve existing supplies in the affected regions, with water demand still high.

“We are asking residents to be aware of the situation and use water more carefully and deliberatively, especially when it comes to lawn watering and other non-essential uses," Martin stated. "The goal is to moderate water demand through voluntary conservation.”

The DEP offered several suggestions for conserving water, including:

Do not over-water lawns and landscaping. Two times per week for 30 minutes in morning or late evening typically is sufficient. Use a hose with a hand-held nozzle to water flowers and shrubs.

• Avoid watering lawns and plants during the heat of the day to avoid evaporation and water waste.

• Use a broom to sweep the sidewalk rather than hosing it clean.

• Fix leaky faucets and pipes.

• Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth and shaving.

• Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full.

While measurable rainfall during the second week of September provided some temporary relief, it did not appreciably improve the water supply situation in the three drought regions, DEP officials said. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center also is projecting above-average temperatures and dry weather to continue through October.

The DEP already has observed significant reservoir level declines in some water systems, particularly United Water New Jersey’s Oradell reservoir system in Bergen County.

Other drinking water supply indicators are also showing signs of stress from the dry weather and high water demands, including stream flows and ground water levels, as well as declining reservoir storage in the New Jersey Water Supply Authority’s Spruce Run and Manasquan Reservoirs in Hunterdon and Monmouth counties, respectively.

If conditions remain warm and dry and water demands do not decrease, DEP officials said they will consider upgrading to a drought warning. permitting the department to order water purveyors to develop alternative sources of water or transfer of water between areas of New Jersey with relatively more water to those with less.

“We are asking residents across the state, and particularly in the three drought watch regions, to use water sparingly, and to voluntarily reduce nonessential water use, especially outdoors,’’ said Dan Kennedy, DEP assistant commissioner for Water Resources Management. “We advocate for conservation of water at all times. But responsible water use at this time is especially important. We ask that residents take voluntary steps such as limiting lawn and landscaping watering, and cutting back on water-related chores at home, such as car washing. This could save millions of gallons of water daily.”

For more state water supply status information, visit:  www.njdrought.org/status.html.

For more information on water conservation, visit:  www.njdrought.org/ideas.html