Murphy asks NJ to conserve water as NJ reservoir levels fall with heat and little rain.

Scott Fallon, NorthJersey.com
·2 min read

The Murphy administration asked New Jersey residents and businesses Tuesday to conserve water, as rainfall has been below average and some drinking water reservoirs have seen their levels drop precipitously in the past month.

The levels of the state's reservoirs and groundwater supply are "healthy," said Shawn LaTourette, the state Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, but he cautioned that supplies can be depleted fast.

"Persistent hot and dry weather coupled with the high water demands of summer can quickly impact water supply," he said in a statement.

Despite some isolated downpours, several counties have received only 1 to 3 inches of rain since late June — less than half the average rainfall for that time period, according to National Weather Service data.

As a result, parts of northern, central and southern New Jersey are considered "abnormally dry" — the stage before a moderate drought is declared, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

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Although most reservoir systems are at or just below average for this time of year, some have fallen quickly this summer, including two that serve more than 1 million residents. Among them:

  • The Veolia water company, which manages the Oradell Reservoir system, saw its levels drop from about 100% in mid-June to just over 70% by mid-July, according to DEP data.

  • The North Jersey District Supply Water Commission, which manages the Wanaque Reservoir, saw levels fall from almost 100% in June to just over 80% in July.

  • The Round Valley-Spruce Run reservoirs in western New Jersey have dropped below 70%, compared with about 90% full typically at this time of year.

Other reservoir systems in northeast New Jersey have not taken as sharp a decline. Jersey City's two reservoirs are just below average, and Newark's five reservoirs are almost at 100%, according to the DEP.

“Now is the time for New Jersey to be especially mindful of water usage and proactively moderate our consumption,” LaTourette said.

Water-saving tips from the DEP include: Collect rain in a barrel to water flowers, cover a pool when it's not in use to avoid evaporation, and raise a lawnmower blade to 3 inches so grass roots can grow deeper and hold water better.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ residents asked to conserve water as reservoir levels fall