Durham moves to Stage 2 water restrictions as drought pressure grows
Durham’s Stage 2 water rules now ban spray irrigation, curb home car washing, and tighten business use as reservoir pressure grows.
Durham moved into Stage 2 water restrictions on June 15, putting mandatory limits on outdoor watering, vehicle washing, and some commercial water use as drought pressure continues to build on the city’s reservoirs.
The city said updated modeling showed Stage 1 and Stage 2 triggers were reached at the same time, after limited rainfall, warm temperatures, and ongoing drought conditions pushed reservoir levels lower.
What changes under Stage 2
- Spray irrigation of landscapes with city water is prohibited, including hose-end sprinklers.
- Hand watering, drip irrigation, and tree or shrub watering bags are still allowed.
- Using city water to wash vehicles is not allowed except at a commercial or institutional car wash.
- Using city water to clean sidewalks, driveways, decks, or building exteriors is banned, except for a health or safety issue or before painting.
- Restaurants must serve drinking water only when a customer asks for it.
- Large water users that use more than 100,000 gallons a day are asked to reduce use by 30% and document their conservation efforts.
The city also says no new landscape-exemption licenses will be issued during Stage 2, and the restrictions are enforceable under city ordinance.
Why Durham tightened the rules
Durham’s current dashboard showed 93 days of easily accessible, premium water remaining in the reservoirs as of June 17, plus 35 days of less accessible water below the intake structures and 23 days in Teer Quarry emergency storage. The same dashboard showed 0.00 inches of month-to-date precipitation at Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir.
Drought.gov says 267,587 people in Durham County are affected by drought and that 100% of county residents are covered by drought conditions. The county page also says May 2026 was the 19th driest May on record there, and January through May 2026 was the driest year to date in 132 years of records.
What to watch next
Stage 2 stays in effect until both reservoirs return to full levels. If rainfall improves supply, Durham could eventually ease the response. If dry conditions continue, the city could keep the current rules in place longer or move to stricter steps.
Sources
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