Are Water Restrictions Coming for You?

Last Friday, the Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority (FCWSA) implemented mandatory water restriction rules, due to the active Drought Warning Advisory issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

The mandatory rules target outdoor water consumption for all customers on the public FCWSA water systems to preserve water pressure and fire protection services. Residents relying on private wells are strongly encouraged to voluntarily practice the same conservation measures.

The mandatory restrictions ban or strictly limit the following activities:

• Lawn Watering: The use of sprinklers or irrigation systems is prohibited.
• Vehicle Washing: Washing cars, trucks, or trailers at home is banned, except at dedicated commercial facilities that use water recycling systems.
• Pool Filling: Filling empty swimming pools or wading pools (or those less than three-quarters full) is prohibited.
• Surface Cleaning: Washing down driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, or exterior building structures is barred unless required for health or safety.
• Decorative Elements: Operating non-essential water amenities like fountains, waterfalls, or reflecting ponds is banned unless required to sustain aquatic life.

Caroline County has also issued mandatory water restrictions. Due to extreme drought conditions straining their groundwater supply, county officials elevated local emergency rules to Level 3 Mandatory Restrictions.

The broader D.C. metropolitan area remains under a regional Drought Watch, meaning that local jurisdictions rely entirely on voluntary cutbacks to protect the Potomac River basin. If you recall at the beginning of June, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) put a Drought Watch into effect due to the unusually dry conditions that are expected to persist despite recent rainfall. The regional Drought Watch applies to nearly six million residents across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia the water saving measures requested are voluntary.

Fairfax Water & Fairfax City

Fairfax Water emphasizes optimizing daily household routines to keep backup reservoirs full:

·         Indoor: Shorten showers to under 5 minutes, turn off faucets while brushing teeth or shaving, and fix plumbing leaks immediately (especially running toilets).

• Appliances: Only run dishwashers and laundry machines when fully loaded.
• Outdoor: Minimize the watering of lawns or shrubs, use a broom instead of a hose to clear driveways, and avoid home car washing. Loudoun Water & Town of Leesburg

Loudoun Water and the Town of Leesburg ask residents to fundamentally shift outdoor water usage to slow down the drought's impact:

• Lawn Care: Suspend or heavily restrict routine lawn irrigation; let established grass go dormant in the dry weather.
• Targeted Watering: Prioritize root systems of newly planted trees or essential shrubs using a slow drip to prevent runoff.
• Vehicle Washing: Skip home vehicle or boat washing entirely, or substitute with commercial recycling car washes.

Prince William Water

Prince William Water focuses heavily on strict monitoring of outdoor demands while supply in the Potomac remains adequate:

• Landscaping: Actively monitor and decrease the frequency of plant and shrub watering.
• Hardscape Cleaning: Heavily discourage hosing down patios, sidewalks, and siding, requesting sweeping instead.
• Kitchen Habits: Run the faucet only when actively scrubbing dishes if washing by hand.

Town of Purcellville

Because the Town of Purcellville operates on an independent groundwater/well network, they remain at a localized Drought Warning level despite lifting mandatory restrictions. They request the most aggressive voluntary pullbacks in the area:

• Strict Conservation: Voluntarily cease all non-essential outdoor water usage.
• Peak Shaving: Minimize any essential appliance use during peak early morning and late evening hours to protect community system pressure

DC Water Voluntary Guidelines

The utility urges consumers to practice "wise water use" through minor adjustments to daily household routines:

• Shorter Showers: Keep daily showers under 5 minutes.
• Faucet Habits: Turn off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, or scrubbing dishes by hand.
• Smart Outdoor Watering: Limit unnecessary watering, and only water yards during the early morning or evening to minimize evaporation.
• Full Laundry/Dish Loads: Delay running appliances until they are completely full.
• Proactive Leak Checks: Inspect toilets, faucets, and exterior hoses for hidden leaks and patch them immediately

WSSC Water Voluntary Restrictions (Current)

WSSC Water has adopted the regional "Wise Water Use" guidelines under the current Drought Watch. They ask customers to:

• Outdoor:

o    Limit lawn watering and stop if it rains.

o    Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

o    Use commercial car washes that recycle water instead of washing vehicles at home.

o    Water flowers and shrubs with a hand-held hose or watering can rather than automated sprinklers.

• Indoor:

o    Keep showers to under 5 minutes.

o    Turn off faucets while brushing teeth or shaving.

o    Only run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.

o    Check for and repair silent leaks, especially in toilets (a major source of wasted water).

 Because WSSC, Fairfax Water, Prince William Water, Loudoun Water, and the Town of Leesburg all share the Potomac River as their primary water source, they coordinate their restriction levels together through the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. They will move to mandatory restrictions only when the region escalates to a Drought Emergency. The trigger for a drought emergency is: Critical water shortage where backup reservoirs are dangerously low and there is an imminent risk of not meeting essential public health and safety needs (fire protection, drinking water).