RICHMOND, Va. — Several localities across Central and Central-Eastern Virginia are now under mandatory water restrictions as drought conditions continue to worsen across the commonwealth.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with the Drought Monitoring Task Force, continued existing drought advisory statuses for the state. All of Virginia is under a drought warning, with the exception of Isle of Wight County and the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, which remain under a drought watch.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday and based on conditions through Tuesday, shows extreme drought now covers 38% of Virginia — up from 25% the previous week.

Statewide precipitation is approximately 7.5 inches below normal for the water year, which began Oct. 1, 2025. Some locations have received one-quarter or less of normal rainfall over the past several months.

INTERACTIVE: Scroll down for complete list of Virginia Drought & Water Conservation localities

Mandatory restrictions now in effect

In Caroline County, residents served by municipal systems — including Bowling Green, Port Royal, Milford Sanitary District, Woodford Estates, and several mobile home parks — face enforced limitations. Those restrictions prohibit lawn watering, strictly limit car washing, and allow garden watering only on certain days based on address. Filling swimming pools over 1,000 gallons requires county approval.

Parts of Louisa County, including New Bridge and Zion Crossroads, are also under mandatory conservation orders after well levels dropped below normal levels.

"Water conservation is always a preferred practice, but the continued dry weather requires mandatory restrictions be enacted," county officials said. "Mandating restrictions is intended to prevent shortages of safe potable drinking water for the County citizens connected to these public water systems."

The Town of Gordonsville in Orange County and multiple subdivisions across Fauquier and Shenandoah counties have also enacted mandatory conservation, meaning nonessential water use is not only discouraged but can trigger penalties.

Residents in those areas are urged to check their locality's website or contact their water provider for details on outdoor water use rules.

(WTVR)

Drought conditions deepening statewide

A small area of moderate drought between Richmond and Petersburg is an exception to the broader trend, the result of recent heavy rainfall totaling 3 to 8 inches in that area.

Streamflows and soil moisture have continued to decline, with deeper soil moisture and groundwater levels also remaining well below normal. Groundwater levels in 13 of the state's 24 monitoring wells are below the 10th percentile for this time of year.

A drought warning is intended to signal that the onset of a significant drought event is imminent. A drought watch is intended to help residents prepare for a potential drought.

Officials warn conditions could deteriorate further as summer temperatures rise and evapotranspiration rates increase. If conditions worsen, drought advisories in certain localities could be upgraded from warning to emergency status, which would trigger additional water restrictions.

Long-term outlooks for groundwater recovery remain a concern, with officials noting a prolonged period of rainfall will be needed to restore levels. Heading into summer, approximately 1 to 1.25 inches of rain per week is needed to maintain normal precipitation levels.

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