Water restrictions are in effect on the West End, with water to be trucked in for some Clallam County Public Utility District customers.
Clallam County Public Utility District has issued Stage 4 mandatory water use restrictions for the 33 customers in the Island View Water System 10 miles west of Sekiu. Effective immediately, customers are to eliminate outdoor water use and minimize indoor water use.
The PUD also has issued a Stage 3 alert for the 357 customers of the Clallam Bay-Sekiu Water System. That sets mandatory outdoor water restrictions. Vehicle washing, except for safety-related purposes is prohibited. Even-numbered addresses may water outdoors on even-numbered days; odd-numbered addresses may water outdoors on odd-numbered days.
Water for the Island View Water System is supplied from Olsen Creek. Due to low flows in Olsen Creek, the PUD will begin trucking in water from the neighboring Clallam Bay/Sekiu Water System, according to a press release issued Tuesday.
Water for the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Water System is supplied from a well field near the Hoko River.
Groundwater sources have a greater resiliency to drought compared to surface water sources, but streamflow is used as an indicator of upcoming groundwater shortages in this region, according to the PUD in a press release issued Monday.
Based on Hoko River streamflow data collected by the USGS, the PUD predicts that the Hoko River streamflow will drop to about 14 cfs in about a week.
The Clallam Bay/Sekiu Water System serves residents of Clallam Bay and Sekiu as well as the Middle Point area and the Clallam Bay Corrections Center.
The objective of the Stage 4 response in the district’s Drought Response Plan is to eliminate outdoor use of water and reduce overall system water consumption by 10 to 20 percent.
The objective of the Stage 3 plan is to encourage customers to conserve water wherever possible and reduce water consumption by 10 percent.
The other seven PUD water systems do not have active water drought response plans in effect.
For a comprehensive list of actions to save water or to access more information on water conservation, go to www.wateruseitwisely.com.
