The Raleigh City Council voted to implement Stage 2 water restrictions beginning Feb. 15, and Jack Colby, associate vice chancellor for facilities operations, said although N.C. State is already compliant with many of the restrictions, further changes may come soon.

According to Colby, when Raleigh implemented Stage 1 and 1A restrictions last year, the University had already done campus-wide restrictions, and of the 10 sections of Stage 2 conservation measures, NCSU currently complies with seven.

With Stage 2 restrictions, public water may not be used for irrigation, only those with certified car-washing facilities may wash vehicles, washing sidewalks and decks is prohibited, and drinking water must not be served in restaurants unless requested, among other provisions, according to the City of Raleigh’s Web site.

“There will be a few things to adjust,” Colby said. “We’re encouraging everyone to continue with the conservation effort.”

Facilities is considering several large-scale projects, which he said includes replacing or upgrading toilet fixtures and other water-consuming devices in bathrooms across campus.

Another possibility is drilling wells to use for irrigation water for athletic fields and for plant up-keep in central campus, he said.

And according to Colby, the University may install pipelines to utilize Raleigh’s reused water for irrigation and central plant services as well.

“These are long-term projects that would require engineering and planning,” he said.

There have been recent changes made across campus to help conserve, which he said include low-flow shower heads in Carmichael Gymnasium. New shower heads should be installed in all residence halls by the end of February, he said.

The University expects students to have to adjust with these changes, he said.

“If we’re properly implementing restrictions, we’re asking students to change their habits,” Colby said.

And students have already had substantial success in conserving, Colby said, citing a 30 percent reduction in water usage from 2001, and a 25 percent reduction from this time last year.

According to Ryan Boyles, state climatologist, the drought that has made restrictions necessary may drag on for months, and the weather in the summer will be a big indicator of the future.

A normal or wet summer could bring about precipitation we need, he said, and Raleigh’s primary water source, the Falls Reservoir is “very sensitive to short-term dryness.” According to Boyles, communities who rely on the Jordan Reservoir will have an easier time, as it will be filled with more water.

But Boyles said summer weather is very difficult to predict, as climatologists have very little ability to analyze the Bermuda high-pressure system, which dictates summer weather.

He said he agreed that changes must be made on campus, considering the amount of water used on it. “The city of Raleigh has put off implementing these types of restrictions as long as they can,” he said. “As customers of city of Raleigh, students and faculty need to be conscious of how much water they use.”