Drought conditions are worsening across the state, with nearly all of Orange County experiencing an exceptional drought despite recent rainfall. Everyone is encouraged to conserve water, especially as drought conditions worsen.

The Town of Hillsborough has year-round restrictions for watering plants. It has not started additional water restrictions for customers.

See the irrigation rules below. See conservation tips on the town’s Water Conservation page.

Supply Status

The West Fork Eno Reservoir’s water level currently measures 46.4 feet deep — about 336 days of water supply. Voluntary water restrictions for customers start when the town has 180 days of water remaining.

The current water level is more than 6 feet lower than the 53 feet that the reservoir can hold. Before its expansion in 2021, the reservoir held 43 feet of water. When full, the expanded reservoir can store about 1.2 billion gallons of water. The town and its customers use about 2.2 million gallons each day.

The number of days of water supply depends on a number of factors, including water level, evaporation rate and amount of water released to maintain adequate flow in the Eno River.

See:

• Supply status and drought updates on the town’s Water Conservation page.
• The National Weather Service Raleigh Office’s latest drought information statement.
• The reservoir’s history on the About Water page. 

Internal Restrictions

Due to the drought, the town is reducing water usage to the extent possible, such as postponing cleaning of water system basins and limiting automatic system flushing.

The town is under a voluntary Stage 1 restriction for water withdrawal, under an agreement with other major users of the Eno River, the town’s drinking water source. The Stage 1 restriction typically occurs several times per year when the river’s average flow falls below 10 cubic feet per second for seven consecutive days. Additional restrictions will lead to increased flow out of the town’s reservoir to meet water supply needs.

To help maintain water quality and aquatic life in the river, the town works with Orange County to keep the river’s flow at about 3 cubic feet per second. The town has been releasing about 1.9 million gallons daily from its reservoir. The county controls water releases from Lake Orange, a secondary water source for the town. River flow was at 7 cubic feet per second on Sunday.

Irrigation Rules

Hillsborough customers, please follow the town’s year-round rules for watering plants and lawns:

• All hoses must have shut-off nozzles for hand watering.
• Apply no more than 1 inch of water to lawns or plantings in any given week. This equates to two-thirds of a gallon per square foot.

For customers with spray irrigation systems:

• Irrigation systems must have moisture sensors.
• Limit use to three times per week between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Even-numbered properties may water on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Odd-numbered properties may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Eligible customers may purchase supplemental irrigation permits to protect new plantings. Properties may obtain no more than one supplemental irrigation permit in five years. To be eligible, a property must have one of the following:

• An active building permit.
• A certificate of completeness or occupancy permit issued within the previous 90 days.

Violations are enforced by initial warnings followed by monetary penalties for the third and following events. See irrigation system requirements, Section 14-19, in the Hillsborough Code of Ordinances.