PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles has declared a Stage III critical water shortage, which implements some immediate restrictions on outdoor water usage.
The following water uses are prohibited on any properties, located inside or outside of city limits, that are connected to the city’s water system:
• Directly hosing sideways, walkways, driveways, parking lots, patios and other exterior paved areas unless necessary to prevent or eliminate materials that are dangerous to public health and safety.
• Lawn sprinkling and irrigation that allows water to run off or overspray the lawn area.
• Sprinkling and irrigation of lawns, ground cover or other plants between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on a day not authorized by the established rotation schedule; this rotation schedule allows homes with odd-numbered addresses to water on odd-numbered days and homes with even-numbered addresses to water on even-numbered days.
• Escape of water through breaks or leaks within a plumbing or private distribution system for any period beyond which the break or leak reasonably should have been discovered and corrected. Reasonable will be presumed to mean a period of 48 hours after the individual is aware of the leak or break, according to a city press release.
This water shortage is in response to continuously decreasing flows in the Elwha River, the city’s primary source of drinking water, according to the press release.
City Manager Nathan West told the city council last week that city staff consider the weather forecast, the river’s flow in cubic feet per second and other factors when declaring a water shortage.
Last year, Port Angeles also issued a Stage III water shortage during the first half of September. In 2022, the city issued a similar notice at the beginning of October.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
