CANTON, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
The towns of Canton and Clyde have enacted Stage 2 mandatory water conservation measures as officials respond to a developing water shortage, while Canton residents continue to face water outages, low pressure and a boil water advisory amid ongoing system repairs.
Under Stage 2 restrictions, all water customers must continue conservation actions required under Stage 1 and further reduce overall water use. All nonessential uses of potable water supplied by the Town of Canton are prohibited.
The restrictions ban outdoor watering of lawns, grass, shrubbery, trees and flowers, with exceptions for commercial nurseries and golf greens. Vegetable gardens may be watered only according to a schedule established when Stage 2 was declared.
Residents are prohibited from filling empty swimming or wading pools, washing streets, driveways, parking lots, building exteriors, sidewalks or patios, and using water from public or private fire hydrants except for firefighting or emergency line flushing.
Car wash facilities are not permitted to operate, and the use of water for ornamental fountains, pools or ponds is banned. Restaurants and other food service establishments may not serve drinking water unless requested by customers.
Hotels, motels and other lodging facilities are instructed not to change bed linens except upon guest request, at checkout, or every five days for long-term guests. The operation of water-cooled air conditioners or equipment that does not recycle cooling water is also prohibited unless health or safety is affected.
Officials said any unnecessary or intentional waste of water is unlawful under Stage 2 rules. A drought surcharge has also been implemented, with water use above the 3,000-gallon minimum billing threshold charged at 1.5 times the normal rate.
Canton officials said crews have located multiple problem areas in the water system and requested assistance from the Rural Water Association to help identify additional issues. An area of concern was identified near the intersection of North Main Street, Bridge Street, Champion Drive and School Street.
Excavation work was scheduled to begin around 10 a.m., and residents in the immediate area may experience low water pressure or temporary service interruptions due to valve closures required for repairs.
Officials said pressure in the Spruce Street line may also fluctuate when the Beaverdam tank is refilling, resulting in intermittent low pressure lasting 5 to 15 minutes or, in some cases, a temporary loss of service. Town officials said recent questions about local car washes are unrelated to the pressure issues on the Spruce Street side of the system, noting the water line break is located beyond that area.
Once repairs are completed and water flow to the Spruce Street tank is restored, officials said mandatory water conservation will remain in effect to allow the tank to refill and stabilize service.
Residents affected by outages or low water pressure remain under a boil water advisory once service is restored. The advisory was issued after fractured water lines caused periods of low or no pressure, increasing the risk of bacteria entering the system through back siphonage.
The North Carolina Division of Water Resources advises customers to boil all water used for human consumption — including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation — or to use bottled water. Water should be brought to a vigorous boil for at least one minute.
The advisory will remain in effect until further written notice, officials said.
Due to repair operations, the intersection of North Main Street and Champion Drive has been closed, and multiple surrounding streets are affected by traffic restrictions. Motorists are urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
Residents experiencing extended water outages are asked to contact Town offices at 828-648-2363 or 828-648-2376.