Durham water restrictions remain in effect as reservoirs sit at 52% capacity
Durham’s mandatory Stage 2 water restrictions remain in effect. A City of Durham water-supply snapshot dated July 30, 2026, showed reservoir storage at 52% full and 127 days of easily accessible premium supply remaining.
The restrictions began June 15 and affect City of Durham water customers. Residents, businesses, landscapers and large water users should follow the Stage 2 rules unless a specific exemption applies.
What Durham customers cannot do
Spray irrigation of landscapes with city water is prohibited under Stage 2, including hose-end sprinklers. The city says there are no watering days under the current stage.
Customers also may not use city water to wash vehicles, except at commercial or institutional car washes operating under the ordinance.
City water may not be used to clean or wash exterior building surfaces, decks or paved areas such as sidewalks, driveways, roadways and parking lots. Exceptions apply when cleaning is needed because of a health or safety issue or before painting or repainting.
Decorative fountains, ponds and pools generally may not be filled with city water unless the water is recycled. Pool water may be added only to replace evaporation or spillage and to keep chemical feeders operating.
What remains allowed
Limited outdoor watering is still permitted. Durham allows hand watering, drip irrigation and tree or shrub watering bags. Those options do not create a general exception for spray irrigation.
The city’s Stage 2 guidance also lists limited exemptions for containerized plants and commercial plant stock held for sale, certain short-term watering needed after chemical treatment, supervised system checks and facilities operating under approved Water Conservation Plans. Residents and businesses should review the city’s current rules before relying on an exemption.
What businesses need to know
Restaurants should serve drinking water only when a customer asks for it. The guidance is intended to reduce unnecessary potable-water use while still providing water to customers who request it.
Landscapers and property managers should plan around the ban on spray irrigation and use only the watering methods allowed under the Stage 2 rules. The city also says bulk reclaimed water is available for landscapers and other bulk users.
Large water users face a reduction goal
Customers using more than 100,000 gallons per day are expected to reduce consumption by 30% from pre-declaration use and document their efforts. Large or special users operating under an approved Water Conservation Plan should follow the Stage 2 goal in that plan.
Violations can carry penalties
Stage 2 restrictions are enforceable under Durham’s Water Efficiency ordinance. The city warns that violations may result in civil penalties or termination of water service.
In a July 13 update, Water Management said it had received 270 reports or complaints since the restrictions began and had issued three violations at that point. Those figures were reported before the July 30 supply snapshot and should not be read as current enforcement totals.
What the July 30 supply figures mean
The city’s July 30 data reported 127 days of easily accessible premium water remaining, calculated using a 30-day running average demand of 24.88 million gallons per day. The city also reported reservoir storage at 52% full.
These are dated, provisional supply figures rather than a permanent forecast. Durham said in its July 13 update that Stage 3 was a strong possibility based on demand and weather conditions, but Stage 3 has not been adopted in the current guidance.
Residents and businesses should check Durham’s current water-restriction instructions before watering outdoors, washing vehicles or cleaning hard surfaces. Questions can be directed to Durham One Call at 919-560-1200.
Sources
Discover more from Interactive News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
