New Jersey Residents Urged to Conserve Water
KYW Newsradio Team Coverage --
New Jersey is under a drought "watch" -- and residents are being urged to voluntarily conserve water.
KYW's Ian Bush and Paul Kurtz report that officials say long spells of hot, dry conditions over the summer have put a strain on reservoir, stream, and groundwater levels.
The state's Department of Environmental Protection says that residents can help by limiting lawn watering, cutting back on at-home car washing, and running washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded.
New Jersey's average rainfall for August was under 2½ inches. That's more than two inches below normal.
The next step, if these dry conditions continue, is a drought warning, which carries mandatory restrictions.
