Drought Watch Declared In Delco, Water Conservation Recommended

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — A drought watch has been declared in Delaware County, according to Pennsylvania officials.

The Pennsylvania Drought Task Force has announced 35 counties are experiencing drought conditions. Among them is Delaware County, which is under a drought watch.

A Drought Watch is typically declared for a county with three of the four factors in a "watch." Those factors are precipitation, stream flows, groundwater levels, and soil moisture.

>>>RELATED: 150-Year-Old Rainfall Record Broken In Philadelphia Region<<<

Nearby, Chester, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Bucks counties are also under a drought watch.

The Drought Task Force is monitoring other areas of the state.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing nonessential water use. Public water suppliers may request water conservation measures to ensure reliable delivery of drinking water.

The Department of Environmental Protection makes drought declarations after assessing the departures from normal ranges for periods of three to 12 months. It also factors in information it receives from public water suppliers.

A Drought Warning is typically declared for a county with three of the four indicators in "warning" status. And a Drought Emergency can be declared by the Governor and emergency water restrictions can be implemented. In the unlikely event of a drought emergency, water suppliers and/or municipal governments will guide residents about water use and conservation.

The Department of Environmental Protection will not implement mandatory water use restrictions outside a Drought Emergency.

Individual public water systems may implement their own conservation measures.

Dry conditions have also heightened wildfire risk, officials said. Human activity causes 99 percent of wildfires in Pennsylvania, leading to the destruction of thousands of acres of state and private woodlands each year.