{"id":31497,"date":"2016-09-07T14:40:26","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T18:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=31497"},"modified":"2016-09-07T14:40:29","modified_gmt":"2016-09-07T18:40:29","slug":"dep-expands-drought-watch-to-chester-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=31497","title":{"rendered":"DEP expands drought watch to Chester County"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"faucet\"The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has extended a formal Drought Warning to Chester and Delaware counties, meaning now 38 of the state’s 67 counties are under the watch.<\/p>\n

The watch means that officials are asking\u00a0for 5% reduction of non-essential water use by residents and businesses.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, local water companies, including Pennsylvania American Water is asking their customers to voluntarily reduce their use of water to help maintain supply.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to reinforce DEP\u2019s request that homeowners and businesses do what they can to voluntarily reduce water consumption during this drought watch,\u201d said Christopher Abruzzo, director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance for Pennsylvania American Water. \u201cCurrently, our sources are at adequate levels and we are carefully monitoring our supplies. We are asking our customers to do their part now so we don\u2019t face more severe conditions later this summer and into the fall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

DEP will continue to monitor streams, precipitation, ground water, water storage and soil moisture to determine whether additional measures will be required.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, DEP is offering these suggestions to residents on how they can help to cut their water usage:<\/p>\n