Reading, PA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Reading is served by the Reading Area Water Authority (RAWA), the municipal water utility drawing primarily from the Maiden Creek/Lake Ontelaunee reservoir system. Day-to-day outdoor-watering restrictions originate at the state level through the Pennsylvania Drought Emergency Act (3 P.S. §1701 et seq.), administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) in coordination with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Commonwealth Drought Task Force. PA DEP declares one of three stages on a county-by-county basis: (1) Drought Watch — voluntary 5% conservation; (2) Drought Warning — voluntary 10–15% conservation and recommended watering restrictions; (3) Drought Emergency — mandatory restrictions imposed by gubernatorial proclamation. During a Drought Emergency, typical mandatory measures include: no lawn watering, no washing of paved surfaces, no operation of ornamental fountains without recirculation, and prohibition on filling swimming pools. Reading and RAWA can layer additional surcharges, conservation tiers, and rebate programs during declared events. The Berks County Conservation District and Reading Environmental Advisory Council (established April 2007) administer rain-barrel distribution programs that help homeowners reduce potable-water use for irrigation.