LEWISBURG -- Even with all of the recent rain, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a drought watch for eight counties in our area.
It's lunchtime at Mercado Burrito, a popular Mexican restaurant in Lewisburg. Like all restaurants, Mercado Burrito needs water to operate. But while Union County is in a drought watch, owner John Aten is doing his part.
"We use low-flush toilets. We try to be mindful of whether our sink taps are on or off. When we leave for the night, we make sure everything is turned off," Aten said.
DEP issued a drought watch for 34 counties in the state, including Union, Snyder, Schuylkill, Carbon, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan and Clinton. DEP is asking people to conserve water.
"They're not looking for a drastic reduction at this point. It's a good thing for everybody to refresh in their minds anyway," Bob Crebs said.
Crebs works in the Union County Emergency Management Office. He says it's easy to do your part to save water. Even drips out of a faucet make a big difference.
"Make sure your dishwasher is full, make sure the washing machine is full," Crebs said.
A long-term solution is switching over to energy-efficient appliances that save on water.
Even with the recent storms, DEP says the counties under drought watch have low stream flows, and not enough rain. Officials don't want people to panic, just be mindful of their water usage.
"We have been trying to take shorter showers for sure because it's been easier for us to do something like that. We do not water our yard at all," Christal Dickson said.
DEP also recommends checking for leaks in your toilets. That can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. Click here for more water-saving ideas from DEP.
