Charleston inches toward possible water restrictions

Charleston water officials say mandatory restrictions are possible if the Lowcountry’s drought deepens and demand keeps rising. (abcnews4.com) Charleston Water System said average treated-water use has climbed from about 64 million gallons a day to about 75 million in recent days as hotter weather sets in. Communications manager Mike Saia told ABC News 4 there is no immediate need for restrictions, but a long stretch of upper-90s heat with little rain could strain the system. (abcnews4.com) The utility serves multiple communities, including Isle of Palms and Hollywood, and draws from the Lake Marion-Moultrie system, which Saia described as a 10 million-acre watershed. State drought guidance says public water suppliers use county drought declarations when deciding whether to activate local response plans and curb non-essential use. (abcnews4.com) (drought.gov) Charleston County is already fully inside drought conditions, according to Drought.gov. The federal site says March 2026 was the county’s second-driest March in 132 years, at 3.24 inches below normal, and January through March ranked as the eighth-driest start to a year, at 5.38 inches below normal. (drought.gov) The National Weather Service’s Charleston office said on March 20 that Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester and nearby counties were in severe drought, with widespread significant rainfall not expected over the next seven days. The same statement said drought conditions were expected to improve by the end of June because forecasters saw better odds for above-normal April-to-June rainfall. (weather.gov) Conditions worsened after that. South Carolina Public Radio reported on April 19 that more than 97% of the state was in drought, with severe to extreme dryness covering nearly all of South Carolina and some water sources facing depletion if rain does not return. (southcarolinapublicradio.org) The drought is showing up beyond drinking water. A Berkeley County observer told state monitors that swamps were at their lowest levels since May or June 2019 and that the local rainfall deficit was approaching 15 inches. (southcarolinapublicradio.org) South Carolina’s drought rules give utilities a playbook if conditions keep sliding. A state model ordinance calls for voluntary conservation in moderate drought, tighter limits in severe and extreme drought, and rationing if supplies become critical. (scdrought.com) For now, Charleston Water System is asking customers to pay attention, not panic. If reservoir levels keep falling and daily use stays elevated, the next step would be a shift from warnings to formal conservation rules. (abcnews4.com)