PORT ANGELES — Clallam County PUD #1 is requesting that water utility customers prepare to conserve water this year in response to a statewide drought emergency declaration from the Department of Ecology.
The state agency declared the emergency on April 16 due to low snowpack levels and forecasted impacts to drinking water supplies, agricultural irrigation, fisheries and in-stream resources.
More information on Ecology’s drought declaration can be found at: https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-supply/Water-availability/Statewide-conditions/Drought-response.
Preparation
In response to the forecasted impacts to drinking water supplies, Clallam County PUD is taking the following actions to ensure its drought readiness and resiliency:
• Activating a Stage 1 drought response in accordance with the PUD Drought Response Plan
• Preparing groundwater wells, which it will rely upon when surface water flows are low
• Exploring grant opportunities to fund improvements to its drought resiliency and preparation
• Educating customers on ways to save water, such as limiting outdoor water use for irrigation, finding and fixing leaks in household plumbing and irrigation systems, installing water efficient fixtures and appliances, and washing vehicles and boats at a car wash that recycles its water.
For a comprehensive list of actions to save water or for more information on water conservation, go to https://home-water-works.org/water-conservation-tips/home.
