The Raleigh City Council has approved an ordinance that would allow the city to move more quickly to stricter water conservation measures if drought conditions persist and water demand remains elevated.

The ordinance, approved July 7, gives the city manager authority to escalate from the current Stage 1 Water Shortage Response to Stage 2 restrictions if water use remains too high to maintain adequate supplies. If implemented, Stage 2 would include disconnecting irrigation-only water service. The ordinance also allows the city to advance to Stage 3 restrictions if conservation efforts fail to sufficiently reduce demand.

City officials emphasized that Raleigh remains under Stage 1 restrictions, and the new ordinance does not automatically trigger additional conservation measures.

Raleigh implemented Stage 1 restrictions on April 20 with the goal of keeping daily water demand near 60 million gallons. While consumption remained close to that target through most of May, daily water use frequently exceeded 66 million gallons during June, increasing pressure on Falls Lake and the city's drinking water supply amid exceptional drought conditions.

City officials are urging residents to continue complying with Stage 1 watering restrictions and adopt additional conservation practices, including turning off faucets while brushing teeth, running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads, and taking shorter showers. According to the city, reducing water use now will help preserve available supplies and may delay the need for more restrictive conservation measures if drought conditions continue.