Interstate Water Resources Management Division

Drought Information

This page was last updated December 8, 2025

Current Drought Declaration Status

Current Status

After the December 4, 2025, meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, a Drought Watch has been issued for 8 counties in the Commonwealth.

Adams, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, and Union counties are now under a drought watch.

This brings the total number of counties under Drought Watch to 37

The total list of counties in Drought Watch include: Adams, Beaver, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lehigh, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Monroe, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Somerset, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, and Washington.

Other areas of the Commonwealth may also be experiencing localized drought issues.

Residents should always pay attention to any information they receive from their local water supplier. Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents to continue conservation measures.

The Department always encourages residents to voluntarily conserve nonessential water use.

See the list below for current conservation measures applied by public water suppliers as well as some water conservation tips.

How Drought Declarations are Made in Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth Drought Coordinator manages drought-related activities and monitors drought conditions statewide. Drought watch and warning are informational declarations issued by the Coordinator with input from the Drought Task Force. Drought emergency declarations, which have mandatory conservation requirements, follow a similar process but require final approval by the Governor.

Drought declarations are not based on a single factor. DEP considers four key indicators:

stream flow, groundwater levels, precipitation, and soil moisture. Each has an established normal range. Declarations are made after assessing how far conditions have deviated from normal over the past 3 to 12 months. More information on how different indicators are used can be found on the Drought Monitoring Tools and Links page (link to page)

One of the most important sources of ground truth are public water suppliers who have the best understanding of their sources. DEP frequently reaches out to suppliers to report on dry conditions in their respective service areas.

  • Audubon Water Co (1460055), Montgomery County
  • Bci Muni Auth (6170052), Clearfield County
  • Blairsville Muni Auth (5320006), Indiana County
  • Doylestown Boro Water (Dbwd) (1090081), Bucks County
  • Indian Lake Camp Corp (7280055), Franklin County
  • Irvona Muni Auth (6170025), Clearfield County
  • Lykens Boro Auth (7220022), Dauphin County
  • Mercersburg Boro Auth (7280021), Franklin County
  • Mont Alto Muni Auth (7280040), Franklin County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Glen Alsace Dist (3060088), Berks County
  • Rolling Hills Estates (7210013), Cumberland County
  • West Freedom Water Assn (6160021), Clarion County

  • Adamstown Boro Water Sys (7360001), Lancaster County
  • Brady Twp Water Assn (6170036), Clearfield County
  • Cambria Twp Water Auth (4110006), Cambria County
  • Clearfield Muni Auth (6170008), Clearfield County
  • Conemaugh Twp Muni Auth (4560048), Somerset County
  • Driftwood Boro (6120001), Cameron County
  • Galeton Boro Water Auth (6530010), Potter County
  • Hastings Muni Auth (4110013), Cambria County
  • Herndon Boro Muni Water Sys (4490020), Northumberland County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Allentown Div (3390024), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Arcadia West Div (3391001), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Beverly Hills Div (3390035), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Central Div (3390073), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Heidelberg Heights Div (3390047), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Mill Creek (3390080), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Ncsa Clearview Farms Div (3480028), Northampton County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Nlsa Madison North Div (3390115), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth North Whitehall Div (3390055), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Upper Milford Central Div (3390076), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Washington Twp (Consec Sys) (3390078), Lehigh County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Wlsa Emmaus (Consec Sys) (3390075), Lehigh County
  • Mt Gretna Auth (7380024), Lebanon County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Berwick Dist (4190013), Columbia County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Blue Mountain Div (3480055), Northampton County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Boggs (4140101), Centre County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Butler Dist (5100012), Butler County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Clarion Dist (6160001), Clarion County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Ellwood Dist (6370011), Lawrence County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Golden Oaks Res Dist (3060126), Berks County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Hershey Dist (7220017), Dauphin County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Indiana Dist (5320025), Indiana County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Lake Heritage Dist (7010035), Adams County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Mcewensville (4490298), Northumberland County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Mechanicsburg Dist (7210029), Cumberland County
  • Pa Amer Water Co New Castle Dist (6370034), Lawrence County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Nittany (4140081), Centre County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Norristown Dist (1460046), Montgomery County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Penn Dist (3060069), Berks County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Philipsburg Moshannon Dist (4140087), Centre County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Punxsutawney Dist (6330010), Jefferson County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Royersford Dist (1150166), Montgomery County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Turbotville Sys (4490016), Northumberland County
  • Pa Amer Water Co Warren Dist (6620020), Warren County
  • Pa Amer Water Co White Deer Dist (4490023), Northumberland County
  • Pa Amer Water Steelton (7220036), Dauphin County
  • Palmerton Muni Water Auth (3130012), Carbon County
  • Porter Twp Muni Auth (4180055), Clinton County
  • Roulette Twp Water Auth (6530007), Potter County
  • Shippensburg Boro Auth (7210043), Cumberland County
  • Stewartstown Boro Water Auth (7670062), York County
  • Westover Muni Auth (6170040), Clearfield County
  • Grantville Mhp (7220057), Dauphin County
  • Lehigh Cnty Auth Allentown Div (3390024), Lehigh County

Contact

Jason Minnich
Commonwealth Drought Coordinator
jaminnich@pa.gov

Questions from media:
Email ra-epnews@pa.gov

Questions from all others:
Email: droughtinfo@pa.gov
Phone: 717-772-4048


Water Conservation Tips for Social Media

Right click the image to save and share.

Water Conservation Tips