The Commonwealth Drought Coordinator manages drought-related activities and monitors drought conditions statewide. Drought watch and warning declarations are determined by the Coordinator and other DEP staff, with support of the Drought Task Force. Drought emergency declarations follow a similar process and are given final approval by the Governor.

Current Drought Declaration Status

Pennsylvania drought condition monitoring indicators provided by the U.S. Geological Survey can be found here.

Drought declarations aren't based on one indicator alone. DEP makes drought watch, warning, or emergency declaration recommendations based on four numeric indicators: stream flow, groundwater level, precipitation, and soil moisture. There are normal ranges for all four indicators. DEP makes its drought declarations after assessing the departures from these normal ranges for periods of 3-12 months. DEP also factors in information it receives from public water suppliers.

Drought Announcements

After the June 9, 2025, meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, a drought watch has been lifted for twenty-one counties but remains in place for seven counties. Additionally, one county improved from drought warning to watch.

Adams, Allegheny, Bucks, Carbon, Columbia, Dauphin, Fayette, Greene, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, Montgomery, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Schuylkill, and York Counties returned to normal status.

Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Franklin, Lehigh, Philadelphia and Washington Counties remain in drought watch.   Berks County’s status improved from drought warning to watch status. 

The eight counties that remain in drought watch are still seeing groundwater levels that have not returned to normal levels for this time of year, based on long-term monitoring of observation wells. The slow recovery of the groundwater levels is largely due to the significant drought conditions in late 2024, which were some of the driest on record since 2002.  Additionally, areas with certain types of geology can take longer for water to move through the ground to enter groundwater and raise well levels.  These two factors explain why some counties remain in drought watch even though we have received above average rainfall in May of 2025.  Green grass and streams flowing at normal or above average rates don’t always mean groundwater has recovered.  This is why DEP uses multiple measures when making a recommendation to change a counties drought status.

Residents on drought watch are encouraged, but not required, to voluntarily reduce their water use by five to ten percent.

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 for more stringent conservation actions.

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

After the April 2, 2025, meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force a drought watch has been lifted for six counties but remains in place for twenty-seven counties.

Beaver, Butler, Clearfield, Indiana, Somerset, and Westmoreland Counties have returned to normal status.

Adams, Allegheny, Bucks, Carbon, Chester,  Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Washington, and York Counties remain in drought watch.

Schuylkill County’s status has been changed from drought warning to drought watch.

Drought warning will continue for Berks County. 

Residents on drought warning are encouraged to reduce their individual water use by 10 to 15 percent, or a reduction of six to nine gallons of water per day. 

Varying localized conditions may lead water suppliers or municipalities to ask residents for more stringent conservation actions.

Residents on drought watch are encouraged, but not required, to voluntarily reduce their water use by five to ten percent.

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

  • Aqua PA Roaring Creek (449024), Northumberland County
  • Audubon Water Company (1460055), Montgomery County
  • Bethlehem Country Squire Estate (3480056), Northampton County
  • Blairsville Municipal Authority (5320006), Indiana County
  • Doylestown Township Municipal Authority (45600048), Bucks County
  • Duncannon Water System (7500019), Perry County
  • Edinboro Mobile Home Park (6250018), Erie County
  • Fair Winds Manor (5100063), Butler County
  • Hazleton City Authority (2408001), Luzerne County
  • Indian Lake Camp Corporation (7280055), Franklin County
  • Mont Alto Municipal Authority (7280040), Franklin County
  • Nelson Township Authority (2590051), Tioga County
  • North Heidelberg Water System (3060115), Berks County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Glen Alsace District (3060088), Berks County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Uniontown (5260020), Fayette County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Connellsville District (5260022), Fayette County
  • Penn Estate Utilities (2450065), Monroe County

  • Adamstown Borough Water System (7360001), Lancaster County
  • Beccaria Coalport Irvona Municipal Authority (6170052), Clearfield County
  • Bowmanstown Borough Authority (3130021), Carbon County
  • Coopersburg Borough (3390046), Lehigh County
  • East Hempfield Township Municipal Authority (7360063), Lancaster County
  • Elizabethtown Borough (7360124), Lancaster County
  • Herndon Borough Municipal Water System (4490020), Northumberland County
  • Indian Lake Camp Corp (7280055), Franklin County
  • Kreamer Municipal Authority (4550014), Synder County 
  • Mercersburg Borough Authority (7280021), Franklin County
  • Meyersdale Municipal Authority (4560012), Somerset County
  • Mount Gretna Authority (7380024), Lebanon County
  • Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County McKeesport System (5020025), Allegheny County
  • Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County Sweeney System (5650032), Westmoreland County
  • Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County Youghiogheny System (5260036), Westmoreland County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Berry Hollow (3480053), ​Northampton County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Berwick District (4190013), Columbia County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Blue Mountain Division (3480055), Northampton County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Boggs (4140101), Centre County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Golden Oaks District (3060126), Berks County​
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Lake Heritage District (7010035), Adams County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company McEwensville (4490298), Northumberland County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Mechanicsburg District (7210029), Cumberland County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Nittany (4140081), Centre County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Norristown District (1460046), Montgomery County 
  • Pennsylvania American Water Penn District (3060069), Berks County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Philipsburg Moshannon District (4140087), Centre County
  • Pennslyvania American Water Royersford District (1150166), Montgomery County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Turbotville System (4490016), Northumberland County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company White Deer District (4490023), Dauphin County
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company Steelton (7220036), Dauphin County
  • Palmerton Municipal Water Authority (3130012), Carbon County
  • Pine Grove Borough Municipal Waterworks (3540037), Schuylkill County
  • Pine Valley Estates (5100040), Bulter County
  • Plum Creek Municipal Authority (3540049), Schuylkill County
  • Reading Area Water Authority (3060059), Berks County
  • Schuylkill County Municipal Authority (3540038), Schuylkill County
  • Schuylkill County Municipal Authority Pinebrook (3540054), Schuylkill County
  • Schuylkill County Municipal Authority Tremont Division (3540046), Schuylkill County
  • Schuylkill County Municipal Authority Pine Grove Township Authority (3540062), Schuylkill County
  • Schuylkill Haven Borough (3540041), Schuylkill County
  • Shippensburg Borough Authority (7670062), Cumberland County
  • Stewartstown Borough Water Authority (7670062), York County
  • Tower City Borough Authority (3540045), Schuylkill County​

Previous Press Releases

Contact

Jason Minnich
Commonwealth Drought Coordinator

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


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