Drought News

After the September 29, 2025, meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, a drought watch has been issued for 25 counties in the Commonwealth.

Beaver, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Schuylkill, Somerset, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Washington Counties are now under a drought watch.

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. 

After the July 2, 2025, meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force, a drought watch has been lifted for the remaining eight counties that were previously in a drought watch. 

Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Delaware, Franklin, Lehigh, Philadelphia and Washington Counties all returned to a normal status. 

While all of the Commonwealth has officially returned to a normal status concerning drought, there may be pockets of the Commonwealth that continue to experience a slow recovery.  The drought conditions in late 2024 were significant and in some areas were the driest on record since 2002. 

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 conserve water.

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

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.