Six of Connecticut’s eight counties are in a drought watch, Gov. Dannel Malloy said during a news conference on Friday afternoon, and residents of the affected counties are being asked to cut water usage by 15 percent.
A statement from the governor's office says this is the first time the state has ever declared a Drought Watch and it's in effect for Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, Tolland and Fairfield counties. Residents of the six counties are being asked to reduce water usage by 15 percent.
Windham and New London counties are in a drought advisory and residents are asked to cut water usage by 10 percent.
"While we cannot control the weather, we can control our own personal usage of water," Malloy said during a news conference in New Britain. "This situation calls for all of us to employ a common-sense approach to preserving water."
A drought watch is the second of four stages of drought and the advisory comes after a decision by the Connecticut Interagency Drought Workgroup.
The state previously issued drought advisories in 2002, 2007, 2010 and earlier this year.
The governor is asking residents to check in with their water provider to see what recommendations are in place and to take steps in the home to cut water usage, like not leaving water running while brushing teeth.
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"Which is one of the biggest wastes of water in America," Malloy said.
He is also encouraging people to take shorter showers.
"I would ask anyone who isn't taking it seriously to talk to people in Danbury, or Waterbury or Darien, or Greenwich, or New Canaan, or my home jurisdiction of Stamford," Malloy said.
Palmer Drought Severity Index shows the state as having severe or even extreme drought, state officials said, and the governor has directed the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services to review and implement areas where water usage among state government facilities can be reduced when possible.
The drought watch declaration comes after three public water systems in Connecticut that are approaching critically low levels received an emergency declaration from the state in the last two months.
In all, 20 water companies have already asked for voluntary conservation or imposed mandatory restrictions, according to the governor's office.
After emergencies were declared for Aquarion Water Company's southwestern region, Waterbury and Danbury, representatives from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the state Department of Public Health, the Office of Policy and Management and State of Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority met to come up with a comprehensive plan aimed at balancing the needs of water for personal use, economic development, recreation and ecological health.
Mandatory Conservation:
- Aquarion Water – Greenwich, Mystic and Stamford systems, issued Sept. 23
- Bristol Water Department, issued Oct. 19
- Norwalk Electric & Water, issued Oct. 6
- South Norwalk Electric & Water, issued Oct. 6
- UCONN, Stage IV Water Supply Emergency, issued Sept. 7
Voluntary Conservation:
- Aquarion Water – Main, Norfolk and Salisbury systems: July 14
- Berlin Water Control, issued Oct. 20
- Connecticut Water Company - all systems, issued July 26
- East Lyme Water and Sewer, issued Aug. 11
- Danbury Water Department, issued Oct. 14
- Hazardville Water Company, issued Aug. 19
- Kensington Fire District, issued Oct. 20
- Manchester Water Department, issued Aug. 19
- Meriden Water Division, issued Oct. 21
- New Britain Water Department, issued Oct. 13
- Norwich Public Utilities, issued Sept. 26
- Regional Water Authority, issued Oct. 11
- SCWA Montville, issued Aug. 8
- South Waterbury Water Department, issued Sept. 23
- Worthington Fire District, issued Oct. 20
