COURTESY
CONCORD (AP) — About half of New Hampshire is in a drought, and state regulators are recommending that outdoor water use be limited until conditions improve.
The United States drought monitor said Thursday that 45 percent of the state is having a moderate drought, and the rest of the state is abnormally dry.
The state Department of Environmental Services recommends that community water systems restrict outdoor water use, including none for landscaping and limiting any watering to nighttime – between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. At least 42 communities reported to the state that they had implemented voluntary or mandatory outdoor water use restrictions by Thursday afternoon.
State water conservation chief Stacey Herbold tells New Hampshire Public Radio that summers can always be tough on groundwater and drinking water supplies, but the recent heat and lack of rain aren’t helping. The state is 1 to 3 inches below normal precipitation over the past three months.
Herbold said people should not be watering their lawns right now, and should water vegetables only at certain times of day.
“At this point, everything is pointing to a much dryer summer. So it’s very important that we all conserve,” she said. “We all need to do our part because we’re all sharing the same resource.”
Much of New Hampshire faced moderate to extreme drought conditions in 2016.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.