VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach is asking residents to reduce their non-essential water consumption as ongoing drought conditions continue to impact the region’s water reservoirs.
The city’s Department of Public Utilities posted on Facebook Friday, asking residents to consider limiting activities such as filling swimming pools and washing cars.
“This is a more significant drought than the typical drought that we see,” said Bob Montague, director of public utilities for Virginia Beach.
Montague said the last time the city experienced drought conditions that significantly affected its water reservoir was in 2002.
The reservoir used by Virginia Beach is owned by the city of Norfolk, which closely monitors its water levels.
Montague said much of 2026 has been marked by dry conditions, leaving the reservoir at about 10% below of its normal level.
Even with flooding in Norfolk this summer, Montague said there has not been enough rainfall to replenish the reservoir. Instead, much of the rain has been absorbed into the ground.
The amount of rainfall the region receives in the coming weeks will play a significant role in determining how conditions improve.
“It’s really dependent on the rainfall that we get,” Montague said. “It’s hard to tell. Like I was saying, lots of times if we have a tropical event, the situation turns around very quickly, but each time it seems like it’s different.”
Until more rain falls, the city is encouraging residents to make small changes to their daily water consumption.
With summer coming to an end, many swimming pools are already closed, but residents are encouraged to monitor how much water they use when washing their cars, watering their yards, and completing other household chores.
“Making an effort to wash full loads of laundry, to wash full loads in your dishwasher, things like that do not take a lot of effort and collectively save a lot of water in the community,” Montague said.
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