Recent rainfall has improved water supplies in the Raleigh area, but officials are continuing to encourage water conservation as drought conditions persist.

The city of Raleigh announced Wednesday that it will lift stage 1 water restrictions starting on Monday, August 3. The restrictions have been in place since April due to the ongoing drought in central North Carolina.

At the J.C. Raulston Arboretum, staff members are remaining cautious despite recent gains in water levels. The Triangle remains in a drought, requiring careful water management to keep plants healthy.

"We kind of scaled back some of the planting that we do, big pruning projects," Greg Paige said. "We did a lot of hand watering this summer."

Paige said the arboretum will likely limit fall planting as a precaution if drought conditions continue through the fall and winter.

Meanwhile, officials say Falls Lake has recovered enough to meet the region's water needs for the remainder of the year.

Ed Buchan, assistant director of Raleigh Water, said Falls Lake's level has increased from 66% to 84%, though the reservoir is not yet full. The city also says that secondary water sources have also improved. Lake Benson is full, and Lake Wheeler is nearly full.

Even with the improvement, Raleigh Water is encouraging customers to continue conserving water by limiting outdoor water use, taking shorter showers and running only full loads of laundry.

"Hopefully our customers will also keep this in mind that water is very precious, and we should limit our elective use on it if possible," Buchan said.

The city posted this message to customers on its website:
"While recent rain has made a big difference, dry conditions will continue across our region. Falls Lake is not yet back to full capacity, and it is important to continue using water wisely.

Residents' efforts during Stage 1 restrictions helped lower water use and protect our water supply. Simple actions, like limiting unnecessary outdoor water use and being mindful of daily water habits, such as shorter showers or only full laundry loads continue to make a difference."

Thank you for helping protect Raleigh's water supply. Every drop counts."

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