PORT ANGELES — The City of Port Angeles has declared a Stage III water shortage, indicating supplies are critically impacted and imposing immediate restrictions on outdoor water usage.
City Manager Nathan West declared the water shortage in response to continuously decreasing flows in the Elwha River, the city’s primary source of drinking water, and with City Council action taken on Sept. 5.
A Stage II water shortage was declared last month.
Effective immediately, the following non-essential water uses are prohibited on all properties connected to the city’s water system, whether located inside or outside of the city:
• Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, parking lots, patios and other exterior paved areas by direct hosing, except as may be necessary to prevent or eliminate materials dangerous to public health and safety.
• Escape of water through breaks or leaks within the customer’s plumbing or private distribution system. The city presumes a period of 48 hours after the customer discovers a leak or break, or receives notice from the city of such leak or break, as a reasonable time in which to correct it.
• Non-commercial washing of privately owned vehicles, trailers and boats, except from a bucket or hose using a shutoff nozzle for quick rinses.
• Lawn sprinkling and irrigation which allows water to run off or overspray the lawn area.
• Sprinkling and irrigation of lawns, ground cover or other plants, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. or an odd-even rotation schedule. That means property addresses ending in odd numbers are permitted to sprinkle on odd-numbered days, and property addresses ending in even numbers are permitted to sprinkle on even-numbered days.
To learn more about water conservation, contact the Public Works & Utilities Department at 360-417-4715 or visit the city’s water conservation web page at www.cityofpa.us/807/Water-Conservation.
