Drought

Drought does not arrive suddenly, but it affects your water, raises the risk of grass fires, and dries out the soil so that it then does not absorb rain, which makes floods worse. If your city depends largely on an aquifer, its level can fall to record lows during a prolonged drought, and water utilities impose restrictions in stages, for example allowing sprinkler irrigation only once a week during limited hours.

What to do

• Check the current stage of restrictions on your water utility's website and follow your watering day and hours, if they apply to you. Fines for violating restrictions do exist.
• Fix leaks: a dripping toilet wastes a lot of water. Notify your landlord or property manager.
• Short showers, faucet off while brushing your teeth, and run the washing machine and dishwasher only with full loads.
• Keep your emergency water reserve (chapter 3) even when there are restrictions: rotate it every 6 months.
• During a drought, be extremely careful with fire, cigarettes, and sparks (Red Flag Warning).