New Jersey has one drought warning as the state continues to experience dry weather, leading to increased forest fireshistorically low precipitation and above average temperatures.
A drought alert allows the Department of Environmental Protection to direct water shipments, monitor emissions from reservoirs and change flow rates in streams and rivers.
Residents of the Garden State are being asked to voluntarily conserve water. State officials offered tips to conserve water, including fixing leaky faucets and pipes and replacing toilets and showerheads with low-flow versions. They also recommend using a commercial car wash that recycles water and using a broom to sweep sidewalks instead of a hose.
During a briefing Wednesday morning, Gov. Phil Murphy said mandatory water restrictions could be implemented depending on how long the winter drought lasts. However, he added that the state is not there yet.
“It’s a significant increase from a drought warning to a drought alert,” he said. “The big picture is that each of us should do everything we can to save water.”
The DEP said a drought warning aims to balance and preserve available water supplies to prevent water shortages from worsening.
DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said New Jersey has not had a drought warning since October 2016, which he said lasted more than half a year.
LaTourette said the state has been experiencing an “exceptionally persistent period of dry weather” since mid-August.
“We need several months of at least average, if not substantially above average, rainfall to get out of these conditions,” LaTourette said.
The next level would be a drought emergency, which LaTourette said the state last had in 2022.
New Jersey saw some rain Sunday through Monday, but Murphy reiterated Wednesday that it was “not nearly enough.” He said the dry conditions don’t appear to be ending anytime soon.
“Everything shows that it also looks like we have a very dry winter ahead of us,” the governor said. “Yes, that means this drought could become even more severe.”
The state’s reservoirs and groundwater levels are below normal and declining rapidly in the absence of significant rainfall.
The state said South Jersey in particular is experiencing below-average precipitation. Over the past three months, officials said South Jersey has been approaching deficits 10 inches below normal.
LaTourette said climate change is driving both the low precipitation and above-average temperatures in New Jersey in September and October.
