The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a statewide drought watch despite recent rainfall in the state.

In a release Thursday, the DEP recommended that households and businesses reduce their non-essential water usage by 5 to 10 percent in an effort to preserve flow in many of the state's waterways.

Acting DEP Secretary Rich Negrin issued the following statement:

"“Although this week has brought some welcome rain to much of the state, it's not enough to make up for the lack of rainfall this spring, following a winter that brought little snowfall in many areas...As a result, we're seeing lowered stream flows, dropping groundwater levels, and persistent precipitation deficits. Water conservation, always a good practice, is especially helpful now as it'll lessen potential future impacts on water supplies if rainfall continues to be scant this summer.”

The DEP suggests only processing full loads of laundry and dishes, turning off the faucet while brushing teeth or scrubbing dishes, taking shorter showers, and keeping longer grass to help soil retain water. 

For more tips on how to preserve water, you can view more resources from the EPA here.

You can get up to date drought statuses for specific regions in the state from the Pennsylvania DEP by following this link.