Reading Area Water Authority customers under mandatory conservation measures

The Reading Area Water Authority has issued a mandatory conservation notice for customers in Reading and its surrounding service areas.

Customers are to reduce water use by 10% to 15%, officials said.

The authority operates and maintains the water system for Reading, and North Heidelberg, Cumru and Kenhorst townships, and portions of Bern and Bethel townships.

The following are prohibited under the notice:

• Watering of lawns and outdoor areas.

• Watering golf courses.

• Washing vehicles, paved surfaces or other outdoor areas.

• Filling or topping off pools or any act of wasting water.

Officials said the solution to this situation is rainfall.

There is no rain in the AccuWeather forecast until Oct. 29

The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies southern and eastern portions of Berks County as moderate drought with the remainder of the county listed as abnormally dry.