Virginia governor urges conservation amid historic drought: 'Take commonsense steps'

RICHMOND, Va. — Governor Abigail Spanberger is urging Virginians to voluntarily conserve water as the Commonwealth endures its driest period since 1941.

Spanberger issued the call Thursday in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, encouraging residents to take commonsense steps to reduce water use as precipitation totals run approximately 8 inches below average across much of Virginia.

"All Virginians can play a role in protecting our water supply during this historic dry period," Spanberger said. "As communities across the Commonwealth — particularly in Southside and Central Virginia — continue to be impacted by these conditions, it is important that we take commonsense steps to meet this challenge. I'm grateful to Virginians for doing their part, and my office will continue to remain in close coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force as we focus on safeguarding our water supply."

(WTVR)

All of Virginia remains in drought. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday and based on conditions through Tuesday, shows 15% of the state is in moderate drought, 52% is in severe drought, and 33% is in extreme drought. The previous week's figures were 12% moderate, 50% severe, and 38% extreme — meaning the most intense category has eased slightly, though severe drought has expanded.

Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources David Bulova also weighed in on the conditions.

"We all know that water is essential to our daily lives. Not just for our personal use, but also for our farmers, our small businesses, and our industries," Bulova said. "Taking simple steps now to reduce our own consumption can help prevent more serious restrictions as we move into the summer months. We will continue to regularly monitor conditions with the Drought Monitoring Task Force as we move into the hottest time of year."

RELATED: Complete list of water restrictions for localities

What Virginians can do

State officials are encouraging residents to take the following voluntary steps to conserve water:

• Reduce lawn and garden watering to alternating days — only water between dusk and dawn
• Limit washing of vehicles and paved surfaces unless addressing public health and safety
• Turn off ornamental fountains
• Limit filling of swimming pools

Drought conditions and potential restrictions

While most of Virginia's water reservoirs remain full, streamflow and groundwater levels show evidence of severe hydrologic drought. The most recent Department of Environmental Quality drought map shows 100% of the Commonwealth's land area experiencing drought conditions, with the majority under a drought warning.

Several localities across Central and Central-Eastern Virginia are already under mandatory water restrictions. 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."

WATCH: Roughly half of state is in severe drought

The Town of Gordonsville in Orange County and multiple subdivisions across Fauquier County 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.

Voluntarily conserving water now may help the commonwealth avoid broader mandatory restrictions if drought conditions persist or intensify. If conditions continue to worsen, the governor may declare a Drought Emergency, which would trigger mandatory water use restrictions for certain users and industries. Virginia's most recent Drought Emergency was declared bv Gov. Mark Warner in the summer of 2002.

Agricultural impacts

Ongoing drought conditions have significantly impacted Virginia's agricultural industry. Persistently dry soil and lack of precipitation have delayed or prevented planting and reduced yield potential. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has used its fast-track disaster declaration process to designate drought disasters across dozens of Virginia localities, giving producers access to emergency loans and other assistance. Virginia continues to coordinate with the USDA and federal partners to ensure resources are available to affected farmers and growers.

The Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force is scheduled to meet next on Tuesday, June 23. DEQ and the task force will continue to provide updates every two weeks for the duration of the drought.