As Raleigh inches closer to stage two water restrictions, city leaders and longtime residents say the worsening drought is stirring memories of the 2007-2009 crisis and raising alarms about how quickly water levels are dropping at Falls Lake.
Many recall the last time conditions were this severe. “It was a crisis period,” said Raleigh city councilman Mitchell Silver. He lived in the city during the historic 2008 drought. He said residents today may not realize how serious the situation has become. “I want to make sure sooner rather than later that we’re now in a sense of urgency because behavior has not changed,” said Mitchell in the city’s July 7 afternoon council meeting.
Some who live in the city say the current drought feels just as bad, if not worse. “This is probably the worst drought era that I’ve ever been involved in or know of,” said resident Gene Mathews, who has lived in his home since the 80’s…