Voluntary water restrictions have been removed for Hillsborough water customers due to recent rains.

Hillsborough Mayor Jenn Weaver signed a proclamation on February 13 ending the voluntary restrictions, which were established in September. These restrictions urged customers to reduce their water use by 10%.

An expansion project to the West Fork Eno Reservoir, which is used by Hillsborough, caused the initial decrease in water levels in 2018.

The expansion involved adding a new spillway to the reservoir, which would increase the dam’s overflow capacity. But, lack of significant rain following construction during the summer and fall months delayed refilling the reservoir to its original level.

The West Fork Eno Reservoir at full capacity can hold 786 million gallons of water, which is enough for the town to use for an entire year. The town established voluntary water restrictions in September of 2019 when Eno River’s average flow had fallen below 10 cubic feet per second for seven consecutive days.

This meant the town could not freely withdraw as much water from the reservoir as it needed to support normal operations and customer use. The Eno reservoir is the main source of the town’s raw water, which is treated and distributed for drinking.

Since restrictions were implemented in September, the town’s reservoir has now reached its original pool elevation of 43 feet. Its water level had been lowered about 4 to 5 feet before construction started on the spillway expansion in April of 2018. The Town of Hillsborough says once a related roads project is complete, the West Fork Eno Reservoir will be allowed to fill to its new, increased depth of 53 feet.

“By the end of this year, the reservoir should be able to be raised to its Phase II pool level, nearly doubling its capacity and proving a sustainable supply of water for town customers,” Hillsborough Utilities Director Marie Strandwitz said. “Thank you to all who helped conserve.”

For more information on the spillway and lifted water restrictions, visit the town website.

(Photo courtesy of the Town of Hillsborough)

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