ICARD WATER ISSUES STAGE 1 VOLUNTARY WATER CONSERVATION

Icard Township Water Corporation has issued

Stage 1 Voluntary Water Conservation effective April 17, 2026.

Water users are encouraged to reduce their water use and improve water use efficiency.

Icard Township Water Corporation asks all water users to reduce their normal water use by 5%. Please take efficiency measures including: irrigating landscapes a maximum of one inch per week; preventing water waste and runoff; watering impervious surfaces; watering plants; washing only full loads in washing machines and dishwashers; using spring-loaded nozzles on outdoor hoses; and identifying and repairing all water leaks. 

Please help reduce water usage and conserve during this time of drought. 

For additional information, reference our Water Shortage Response Plan (WSRP) listed on the "FORMS & REPORTS" tab on the Home page. 

*City of Hickory issues Stage 1 Low Inflow Protocol, requests voluntary water conservation*

HICKORY - Communities throughout the Catawba River Basin are asking customers to conserve water due to reduced lake storage across the region, decreasing streamflows, and current drought conditions. 

The City of Hickory, in cooperation with other major water suppliers along the Catawba River, and Duke Energy participate in a joint management effort to properly manage the water resources available within the Catawba River Basin. For more than 20 years, this partnership has overseen the development and implementation of the Low Inflow Protocol (LIP), a shared framework used to guide water management decisions during periods of drought or low water availability. 

Due to ongoing dry conditions, Hickory City Manager Warren Wood has declared a Stage 1 LIP condition in accordance with the City's Water Shortage Response Plan. This declaration is based on lower lake storage levels, declining streamflows, and current drought conditions resulting from this year's lack of rainfall. Warmer temperatures have further contributed to water loss through increased evaporation.

The Catawba-Wateree Drought Management Advisory Group closely monitors basin conditions and reviews lake levels, streamflow, drought conditions, and groundwater levels each month during drought periods. On April 16, these indicators met the criteria for Stage 1 LIP declaration.

Stage 1 LIP: Voluntary Conservation

Stage 1 is the first phase of voluntary water conservation. 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

-Reducing lawn and landscape irrigation to no more than two days a week by the following method:

Odd addresses may water on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Even addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays.

Unnumbered addresses follow the even address schedule. 

-Avoiding watering during daytime hours

-Reducing residential vehicle washing

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

If drought conditions continue, higher LIP and WSRP stages may be declared. Advanced stages include mandatory water conservation measures. The City of Hickory and Icard Township Water Corporation will provide updates as conditions change. 

Additional conservation tips are available from the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group at www.catawbawatereewmg.org