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Residents in 27 counties across the state are being asked by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to voluntary reduce water use and consumption as certain areas have below-average water levels.

(File)

Residents in 27 counties across the state are being asked by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to voluntary reduce water use and consumption as certain areas have below-average water levels.

A drought watch has been declared after low groundwater and surface water levels have been identified in the northeast and central portions of Pennsylvania, according to a prepared statement.

The declaration, which is the first and least-severe level of the state's three drought classifications, calls for a voluntary five percent reduction in non-essential water use.

The 27 counties under the drought watch are Berks, Bradford, Cambria, Carbon, Clinton, Columbia, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, Westmoreland and Wyoming.

Acting DEP Secretary John Quigley said in a prepared release that the state is still recovering from a very dry fall and below-normal precipitation this winter.

The lack of groundwater recharge can cause well-fed water supplies, both private and public, to go dry, according to the prepared release.

How to reduce water use according to the DEP:

Run water only when absolutely necessary by avoiding running water while brushing teeth or turning on the shower many minutes before use

Check for household leaks; a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day

Run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads