Berks County under a drought warning: what it means

Berks County is under a state drought warning. On June 29, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Drought Task Force raised Berks from a drought watch to the more serious warning level, and the state Department of Environmental Protection is now asking every household in the county to cut its water use by 10% to 15%. The reduction is voluntary. No mandatory restrictions are in place, but the county has moved one step closer to them.

Berks is one of eight counties at the warning level, along with Chester, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, and Lehigh. DEP pointed to continued dry weather and worsening groundwater conditions across southeastern Pennsylvania.

What a drought warning means

Pennsylvania uses three drought stages. Each one asks for more.

1. A watch is the first stage. Residents are asked to voluntarily cut water use by 5% to 10%.
2. A warning, where Berks sits now, asks for a voluntary 10% to 15% cut.
3. An emergency is the last stage. Only the governor can declare it, and it is the point at which the state can impose mandatory restrictions with penalties for violations.

A watch and a warning are informational. The state is asking residents and businesses to conserve, not ordering it. That changes only if conditions get bad enough for an emergency declaration.

DEP decides the stage by tracking four measurements across a region: how much rain has fallen, how much water is flowing in streams, how high groundwater sits, and how much moisture is in the soil. When three of the four run low for long enough, the county moves up a stage.

What residents are asked to do

The state’s request is to trim nonessential water use. DEP and water utilities suggest the same short list:

1. Run dishwashers and clothes washers only with full loads.
2. Water lawns and gardens only when needed, and only in the early morning or evening so less evaporates.
3. Check toilets, faucets, and pipes for leaks and fix them. A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons a day.
4. Sweep sidewalks and driveways with a broom instead of hosing them off.
5. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or scrubbing dishes.

If a water company serves your home

Pennsylvania American Water, one of the largest suppliers in Berks, asked its customers in nine counties, Berks among them, to voluntarily reduce nonessential use by 10% to 15% starting July 10. For an average household that is about 11 to 16 gallons a day. The company said its supplies are currently adequate. “Our sources of supply are currently adequate to meet the needs of our customers, but we want to prepare for the potential for more severe conditions,” said Brandy Braun, its director of water quality and environmental compliance.

If your water comes from Pennsylvania American Water, the Reading Area Water Authority, or a municipal authority, watch your bill and the supplier’s website for conservation notices, and any mandatory limits it sets. If you draw from a private well, the same DEP guidance applies, and a warning is a good time to watch your well’s recovery and avoid heavy outdoor use.

Some municipalities have added their own rules. Bern Township posted a local burn ban on July 1 that bars open burning while the dry spell holds. Check your township or borough for any burn ban before lighting a fire pit or brush pile.

The drought is a state and utility matter, not something the county commissioners control. For who runs what in local government, see our guide to how Berks County government works. Water demand is also part of the debate over the data centers several Berks townships are now writing rules for, since the largest of those facilities can draw heavily on local water and power.

What to watch

1. Whether the warning holds or worsens. DEP has signaled it may expand the warning to more counties near the southeast. The next step up, an emergency, is the one that brings mandatory limits.
2. Utility notices. A voluntary request from your water company can become a required restriction if supplies tighten. Those notices come from the supplier, not the state.
3. Local burn bans. More municipalities may add them as the dry weather continues.

You can check the current status for Berks and every other Pennsylvania county on DEP’s drought information page. We will update this report if the county moves to an emergency or the state lifts the warning.