City of Hickory Lifts Mandatory Water Restrictions Following Improved Drought Conditions

The City of Hickory has lifted mandatory water use restrictions following improved conditions in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. The change comes after the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) today announced the basin's return to Stage 1 of the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP).

The return to Stage 1 means mandatory restrictions on nonessential water use that were required under Stage 2 are no longer in effect for customers served by the City of Hickory water system and its partner systems.

Recent rainfall has increased water storage in reservoirs and improved stream flows throughout the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, resulting in more favorable water supply conditions across the region. The basin entered Stage 1 on April 16, 2026, and advanced to Stage 2 on May 1, 2026, as ongoing dry weather and below-average rainfall dating back to September 2025 reduced reservoir storage and stream flows.

Stage 1 LIP: Voluntary Conservation

While mandatory restrictions have been lifted, the City encourages residents and businesses to continue practicing voluntary water conservation to help protect regional water resources and support long-term water supply reliability.

The goal is to reduce overall water use by 3-5%. Customers are encouraged to help meet this target by taking simple steps such as:

• Watering outdoors no more than one inch per week 
• Avoiding watering during daytime hours
• Reducing residential vehicle washing 

Customers are asked to maintain this 3-5% reduction until further notice.

Lake neighbors who withdraw water from the Catawba-Wateree lakes are encouraged by Duke Energy to limit water use and irrigate no more than two days per week (Tuesdays and Saturdays).

Stage 1 is the second-lowest drought stage within the five-stage Low Inflow Protocol, which ranges from Stage 0 to Stage 4. The protocol helps major water users throughout the basin coordinate conservation efforts and manage shared water resources during drought conditions. Stage determinations are based on factors including reservoir levels, tributary inflows, and drought conditions identified by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Customers Served by the City of Hickory Water System

The return to Stage 1 applies to all customers and partner systems served by the City of Hickory water system, including:

• All customers billed directly by the City of Hickory
• Cities of Conover and Claremont
• Towns of Brookford, Catawba, Long View, and Maiden
• Portions of Alexander and Catawba counties
• Icard Township Water Corporation
   

A Regional, Cooperative Effort

Established in 2006, the Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group (CW-DMAG) monitors drought conditions and recommends coordinated actions among major water users throughout the basin. Members include public water suppliers, large industrial users, North Carolina and South Carolina resource agencies, federal agencies, and Duke Energy.

The City of Hickory works closely with regional partners through the Low Inflow Protocol to ensure the responsible management of shared water resources during drought conditions and periods of reduced water availability.

More Information

To learn more about current drought conditions, visit www.hickorync.gov/drought. For additional water conservation resources, visit the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group at www.catawbawatereewmg.org.

Customers who are not served by the City of Hickory water system should contact their local water provider for guidance specific to their service area.