From staff reports
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced Thursday that both Venango and Clarion are among 20 counties statewide that remain in a drought watch.
The watch has been lifted for Forest and 46 other counties.
Residents on drought watch are asked to reduce individual water use by 5% to 10%, or a reduction of 3 to 6 gallons of water per day. Varying localized conditions could lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents for more stringent conservation actions.
- Run the dishwasher and washing machine less often, and only with full loads.
- Shorten the time you let the water run to warm up before showering and take shorter showers. The shower and toilet are the two biggest indoor water guzzlers.
- Check for and repair household leaks. For example, a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily.
- Install low-flow plumbing fixtures and aerators on faucets.
- Replace older appliances with high-efficiency, front-loading models that use about 30% less water and 40% to 50% less energy (More tips are available at epa.gov/watersense/start-saving).
The DEP drought coordinator monitors the indicators in close partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, which maintains gauges in streams and wells in various locations across Pennsylvania.
There are normal ranges for all four indicators. The DEP makes drought status recommendations after assessing departures from these ranges for all indicators for a period of three to 12 months.
For a map that is updated daily to show the status of all four indicators for each county, go to pa.water.usgs.gov/apps/drought.
