HARTFORD (AP) — Southern New England is experiencing worsening drought conditions, government officials said Thursday, urging residents to voluntarily take steps to reduce their water consumption.

Connecticut Gov Ned Lamont declared a Stage 2 drought, based on a recommendation by the state’s Interagency Drought Workgroup, which determined that every county in the state is experiencing Stage 2 drought conditions due to below-normal precipitation.

Stage 2 is the second of five drought stages defined by the Connecticut Drought Preparedness and Response Plan. On June 2, the workgroup classified New London and Windham counties as being at Stage 1, essentially a “heads up” about the early signs of abnormally dry conditions.

“Residents should be mindful of their water consumption and take sensible steps to reduce impacts on other water uses and on the environment,” Lamont said in a statement.

Residents and businesses are being urged to take steps such as reducing automatic outdoor irrigation, postponing planting new lawns or vegetation and fixing leaky plumbing.

“We have experienced drier than normal conditions in the spring and early summer,” said Office of Policy & Management Undersecretary Martin Heft, who chairs Connecticut's workgroup. “The combination of precipitation shortfalls and an extended period above normal temperatures have impacted the state’s water resources and increased demands upon them. Residents should not be alarmed, but begin taking steps now to reduce their water usage.“

Currently, Aquarion customers living in Newtown are under a mandatory, twice-weekly irrigation schedule until October 31.

*If the last digit of your address is: 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 (even numbers), water only on Sunday & Wednesday, 12:01 - 10 am, or 6 pm - Midnight;

*If the last digit of your address is: 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 (odd numbers), water only on Saturday & Tuesday, 12:01 - 10 am, or 6 pm - Midnight; and

*If you have no address number, water only on Sunday & Wednesday, 12:01 - 10 am, or 6 pm - Midnight

Aquarion also encourages customers that live outside of these 13 towns to voluntarily follow this schedule as an easy way to conserve water.

“As a precaution, we’re asking for our customers’ participation as we work to conserve water,” said Donald Morrissey, Aquarion President. “Our reservoir levels are currently sufficient, and we’re hopeful that rain amounts will soon return to normal. With our customers’ support, we are better able to mitigate the impacts of the current drought conditions.”

In order to use water more efficiently, Aquarion is encouraging customers to take the following outdoor water conservation measures:

*Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn provides shade to the roots and helps retain soil moisture, so your lawn requires less water.

*Reduce your sprinkler setting to our two days per week schedule. The grass roots will grow deeper and make your grass more drought tolerant.

*Adjust your sprinklers so that they're watering your lawn and garden, and not the street or sidewalk.

*Use hand watering or drip irrigation for shrubs and flowers.

*Delay new plantings until the fall.

*Inspect your overall irrigation system for leaks, broken lines or blockage in the lines. A well-maintained system will save you money, water, and time.

Aquarion customers and Newtown residents can also benefit from following these indoor water conservation measures:

*Turn off the water while lathering up, shaving, or brushing your teeth.

*Minimize baths and the amount of water you use for each. Trim one minute off the length of your showers.

*Wash only full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine.

*Hand wash dishes in a pan or the sink, not under continuous running water.

*Reuse dehumidifier water or use a bucket to capture shower and bath water while you wait for it to warm up; then use the water to water your plants.

Visit www.aquarionwater.com/conserve for additional water conservation tips.

The decision to move to Stage 2 is based on an assessment of indicator data monitored by state and federal agencies, including precipitation, surface waters, groundwater, reservoirs, soil moisture, vegetation, and fire danger conditions.

The state has experienced this level of drought five times in the past two decades, in 2002, 2007, 2010, 2016 and 2020. If conditions deteriorate further, the state could reach Stage 3, having reached that threshold in four counties in 2020.

The workgroup has moved the entire state to Stage 2 because precipitation shortfalls, reduced ground water levels, stream flows, and soil moisture impacts are especially pronounced there. Rainfall and droughts do not follow political boundaries, and impacts can be more severe at certain locations.

Those who depend on private wells, fire or irrigation ponds, and other highly localized water resources should be especially mindful of local conditions, especially in places where previous droughts have affected supplies.