Water Conservation

Drought watches, warnings and emergencies in Delaware are declared by the Governor, with guidance from the Water Supply Coordinating Council.

In a drought watch or a drought warning, voluntary conservation measures are in effect.

During a drought emergency, mandatory water use restrictions are imposed. Allocated users may have their allocations re-evaluated for the duration of the emergency to protect public access to the available water supply.

Updates

June 3, 2026

Governor Matt Meyer has issued a statewide drought watch due to precipitation levels experiencing a steep and steady decline throughout the state for the second time in three years, particularly in Kent and Sussex Counties.

The drought watch is in effect until further notice. During this time, Delawareans are asked to voluntarily reduce outdoor uses of water and practice wise water use in their homes in order to preserve the state’s water resources for more necessary uses.

News Release: Governor Meyer Declares Statewide Drought Watch

Water Use Recommendations for Drought Watch

The following recommendations are included in the Three-Phase Drought Operating Plan as approved by the Delaware Water Supply Coordinating Council.

Lawn and Turf Watering

These include residential, commercial, institutional, and government uses.

Use of potable water for lawns and turf should be minimized and performed in a conservative manner.

Landscape Plant Watering

These include residential, commercial, institutional, and government uses.

Use of potable water for outdoor landscape plants (including groundcover, flowers, shrubs, and trees) should be minimized and performed in a conservative manner.

Golf Courses and Athletic Fields

Use of potable water for turf and landscape plants should be minimized.

All outdoor watering should be performed by efficient means in a conservative manner.

A facility-specific drought management plan should be developed or updated in preparation for a drought emergency.

Recommendation: Where a source of non-potable water exists at the location of use it should be used in lieu of potable water, in a conservative manner.

Miscellaneous Uses

Water should be served in public establishments only at the customer’s request.

Making Drought Recommendations

The Water Supply Coordinating Council (WSCC) is a collaborative group that includes members from DNREC, the Delaware Geologic Survey, the University of Delaware Water Resources Center and other groups. The Council provides guidance on declaring drought watches, warnings or emergencies.

The severity of drought conditions is measured by the storage of various reservoirs, 12- and 6-month precipitation values, streamflow of various creeks, the depth below land surface of the water table and chloride concentration in waterbodies.

The Delaware Geologic Survey provides summaries of water conditions in Delaware.

The U.S. Drought Monitor offers state-level maps of drought conditions in the US.