News & Notes March 2002

Governor Declares Drought Emergency

Gov. Schweiker Declares Drought Emergency for 24 PA Counties
With groundwater levels dangerously low in the southcentral and eastern regions of the state, Gov. Mark Schweiker, in mid-February, signed a proclamation declaring a drought emergency for 24 counties and called on Pennsylvanians to conserve water as drought conditions continue to deteriorate.

In addition to the 24 counties now in drought-emergency status, seven counties remain in a drought warning, and 31 counties are under a drought watch.

Low amounts of rainfall last summer and fall and little snow this winter caused record-low stream and groundwater levels. Water wells are running dry and, prior to this drought-emergency declaration, 71 public water systems across the state are operating under voluntary or mandatory water restrictions.

"We are particularly concerned about private, residential water-well owners," Gov. Schweiker said. "Wells have been going dry throughout the emergency area and, for that reason, we've developed a video and fact sheet especially for well owners on how to spot the warning signs that your well is going dry and what you should do."

The Governor's proclamation allows state and local agencies to expedite their response to affected communities to ensure continued protection of public health and safety. It allows agencies to hire, purchase and contract without the usual bid requirements. The declaration also allows communities to implement and enforce mandatory water-conservation measures and local drought-emergency plans.

The proclamation also allows water suppliers, with the approval of the Department of Environmental Protection's Commonwealth Drought Coordinator, to implement local water rationing plans in the event that conditions worsen. Each county under the declaration must have a Drought Task Force that will meet at least monthly and submit status reports to the Commonwealth Drought Coordinator.

In a drought emergency, mandatory water-use restrictions include: not serving water in eating places unless requested by the customer; closing down of indoor and outdoor ornamental fountains, waterfalls and pools unless they are needed to sustain aquatic life; and strict limitations on the watering of lawns, athletic fields, golf courses and the washing of automobiles.

In addition, public water supplies in the drought-emergency area will implement their own drought contingency plans. Large self-supplied commercial and industrial water users will be asked to develop individual drought contingency plans.

The current drought period began last summer when a drought watch was declared for 23 counties on Aug. 8. On Aug. 24, the drought watch was expanded to include 45 counties. On Nov. 6, nine counties in Southcentral Pennsylvania were revised to a drought warning status, and seven more counties were included in the drought watch. On Dec. 3, an additional 22 counties were revised from drought-watch to drought-warning status.

PA counties under a drought emergency (24):
Adams, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Wayne, and York

PA counties under a drought warning (7):
Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union

PA counties under a drought watch (31):
Armstrong, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wyoming

For more information on drought conditions, visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "drought." Additional information can be obtained by calling Pennsylvania's toll-free drought hotline at 1-888-457-6653. Questions also can be e-mailed to droughtinfo@state.pa.us.

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