DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — As drought conditions continue across the region, Durham officials are turning to an emergency water source in an effort to preserve the city’s dwindling reservoir levels.<\/p>\n
The city is preparing to bring Teer Quarry online<\/a>, allowing crews to pump water from the former quarry to help meet daily demand and extend the supply available in Lake Michie and Little River Reservoir.<\/p>\n “We’re in a position we’ve never been in before,” said Dirk Cartner, assistant director of Durham Water Management. “We’ve never seen our reservoirs so low at this period of the year.”<\/p>\n Officials say the quarry contains about 1 billion gallons of water. At roughly 240 feet deep, Teer Quarry took about 18 years of rainfall to reach its current level.<\/p>\n During the past six weeks, crews have installed a temporary pumping system that will move water from the quarry to the city’s treatment system.<\/p>\n “What you’re seeing is a temporary pumping setup as a response to the current drought conditions<\/a>,” Cartner said. “We’re hoping to access the water contained within Teer Quarry to help with the daily demand that our residents require.”<\/p>\n Once pumping begins, city officials expect the quarry’s water supply to last about 200 days.<\/p>\n “The water in the quarry will help extend the life of the water supply in Lake Michie and Little River,” Cartner said.<\/p>\n