Alamance County faces extreme drought, officials urge strict water conservation

Alamance County households are being urged to eliminate nonessential water use and recycle water as drought deepens across North Carolina, with 151,131 county residents now living in an area affected by drought. The warning reaches homes and businesses from Burlington to Graham and Mebane, where every unnecessary gallon adds pressure to a county already under extreme drought conditions.

The dry spell has been building since September 2025, and North Carolina did not see a majority of severe drought conditions until Jan. 13, 2026. The pace worsened through spring. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality said 15 counties were in extreme drought on April 2, 30 counties were in extreme drought on April 16, and 47 counties were in extreme drought by April 24, with most of the rest of the state in severe drought.

Alamance’s own numbers show how hard the county has been hit. Drought.gov says the county had its 21st driest March on record over the past 132 years and its 15th driest January-through-March period over the same span. The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council updated its drought advisory on May 5, and the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released May 7 reflected conditions valid as of that date.

The water warning has come alongside fire-risk restrictions. The statewide burn ban began March 28 because of hazardous forest fire conditions, and as of May 3 it still covered Alamance County and 18 other counties. That overlap has put local conservation and protection work front and center for the Alamance County Soil and Water Conservation District and Alamance County Environmental Health, which remain the local points for residents looking for help managing water use and protecting supplies.

The county is now dealing with drought on two fronts: less rain and a longer-lived burn ban. With spring conditions still running well below normal, officials are trying to keep voluntary conservation ahead of any deeper strain on water supplies.