Michael F. Easley
Governor
State of North Carolina
Office of the Governor
For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Renee Hoffman
Date: August 2, 2007 Phone:
919/733-5612
GOV. EASLEY ANNOUNCES 27 COUNTIES IN EXTREME AND SEVERE DROUGHT
Expands Executive Directive to State Agencies and Encourages Water Conservation
RALEIGH - Gov. Mike Easley today announced the most serious levels of drought have spread from
the western part of the state into the Piedmont, and he has expanded his directive to state agencies in
the region to stop various non-essential uses of water. Twenty-seven counties are now in either severe
or extreme drought, the third and fourth levels of a five-category national drought monitoring system.
“The good news is that we are seeing some rain and spot showers that are typical for the summer in
North Carolina,” Easley said. “But the problem is the rainfall is so sporadic that most of the state is
bone dry. Until we receive several days of consistent rainfall, residents need to conserve water.”
Ninety- four counties in North Carolina are now classified as experiencing some form of drought -
either moderate, severe or extreme. The governor has expanded his directive to state agencies to take
specific water conservation steps in counties currently listed with extreme or severe drought to include:
Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg. These agencies are
directed to stop all non-essential water use and all residents are urged to voluntarily reduce their water
consumption by at least 10 percent. These counties join those counties already affected by the water
conservation directive, which include: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham,
Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain,
Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey counties.
The majority of the counties in the central and coastal plain portions of the state, 67 in all, are in a
moderate drought. Only six counties are not under drought conditions. Carteret, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico,
Tyrrell and Washington counties are considered abnormally dry.
On average, North Carolina communities have received between 50 and 75 percent of the normal
rainfall for this time of year. Due to drought, 39 public water supply systems in the state have enacted
water use restrictions for residents. Thirty-one water systems have enacted voluntary restrictions, and
eight have put in place mandatory water restrictions. The eight systems under mandatory water
restrictions include systems in Johnston, Chatham, Union, Wake and Watauga counties.
For information on current conditions, check out www.ncdrought.org. State agencies that need
guidance on water conservation measures should go to www.sustainablenc.org/neguidance.htm.
###
Governor's Press Office
State Capitol. Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
(919) 733-5612 - Toll Free 1-800-662-7005
FAX (919) 733-5166
