Rhode Island got some much-needed rain this week after a summer of unusually dry weather. The state’s Drought Steering Committee has called a meeting Thursday to decide whether to declare a statewide drought.
Rainfall has been so limited that towns like Westerly and Lincoln have announced water restrictions. Tuesday’s rain should help ease the drought a little, according to Kathleen Crawley from the state’s Water Resources Board.
“Any time you get rain, you see some improvements,” said Crawley. “And it will provide some relief for our water suppliers as well. You know, people’s lawns will get watered by nature.”
Even with the rain on Tuesday, Crawley said rainfall across the state remains well below average for this time of year.
“There are things that folks can do to be aware of the water they use and conserve water wherever possible, particularly outdoor watering,” said Crawley.
Crawley recommends watering lawns just an inch of water during cool parts of the day.