SEQUIM — Clallam Bay/Seiku and Island View water systems are under stage 3 and stage 4 drought alerts, Clallam County PUD 3 commissioners were told.
“We have not trucked any water in yet,” Travis McClain said during the commissioners’ meeting on Monday. “It looks like we may hit that point at the end of this week.”
The PUD received a grant in 2023 which provided a truck for the purpose of bringing in water when needed, he said.
“That’s geared up and in place,” he said.
Stage 3 prohibits vehicle washing, except for safety-related purposes, and limits outdoor watering. Even-numbered addresses may water outdoors on even-numbered days while odd-numbered addresses may water outdoors on odd-numbered days.
Stage 4 prohibits outdoor water use and calls upon customers to minimize indoor water use.
Both areas are dependent on precipitation, McClain said, and this year is sort of mimicking 2023. That year, regular operations weren’t able to resume until Oct. 16, when more consistent precipitation fell.
Other than the stage 3 and stage 4 updates, drought levels are consistent with his last report, McClain said. Other PUD water systems, Fairview, Gales Addition, Monroe, Mount Angeles, Panoramic, Carlsborg and Evergreen have been issued Stage 2 water alerts.
In other business, the commissioners were told about grant-funded solar-powered batteries being offered to low-income residents west of Lake Crescent. The batteries are to keep medical devices powered during power outages.
