RICHMOND, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Based on the data reported on CvilleRightNow.com earlier in the week, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has officially declared a drought warning for our area, and pretty much all of Virginia, and encouraging mandatory water restrictions. The DEQ three weeks ago had issued a drought watch advisory for our piedmont counties with warnings in the Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia. The U.S. Drought Monitor numbers this week show our area in “severe drought”, and that has necessitated the DEQ change our status from “watch” to “warning”.

The DEQ has sent this advisory to local governments, public water works, and private sector water users who withdraw more than 10,000 gallons a day in affected areas. Local governments, including the RWSA, are now advised to review existing ordinances requiring mandatory non-essential water use restrictions, or adopt such ordinances.
Click here for current statewide drought status information from the DEQ.