Southern New Hampshire In 'Moderate' Drought

CONCORD, NH — Southern New Hampshire, including the Concord area, is in a "moderate drought," according to the City of Concord and experts at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

In a drought update on Thursday, officials in Concord said the region has received 6.21 fewer inches of rain than usual. Meanwhile, water usage has continued to climb.

The city said on a typical year its water treatment facility pumps an average of 5.5 million gallons of water per day. That number has recently risen to over 6 million gallons a day.

According to the release, outdoor water use is likely behind the rise in usage as lack of rainfall leaves crops and lawns without sufficient water.

"There has been a slight decrease in consumption over the past few weeks, so we thank Concord water customers for their efforts to use less water," the drought update reads. "Despite the heat, we encourage residents to still minimize outdoor water use as much as possible. Decreasing your consumption for irrigation and watering can make a difference in Concord’s water usage. "

No water restrictions have been issued for residents in Concord, but the city warns they could be enacted if water consumption stays high.

Officials recommend that residents should water their lawns only at night or early in the morning, if at all, to help minimize evaporation.

Several other steps can be taken to prevent water waste amid drought conditions, the city said. You can check out officials' tips and recommendations to save water online.