CARLSBORG — Clallam County Public Utility District No. 1 has downgraded drought response for its Island View Water System from stage 4 to stage 3 and lowered the response for its Clallam Bay/Sekiu system from stage 3 to stage 2.
Water for the Island View Water System, which is about 10 miles west of Sekiu, is supplied from Olsen Creek.
Low flows in Olsen Creek earlier in the year had required the PUD to draw water from the creek and triggered a stage 4 response, which prohibits all outdoor water use.
The Stage 3 response aims to encourage customers to conserve water and reduce water consumption by:
• Only using water outdoors on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Not washing vehicles except for safety-related purposes.
• Fixing leaky faucets and toilets.
• Taking shorter showers, not baths.
• Installing low-flow showerheads and faucets.
• Operating automatic dish and clothes washers only when full.
• Reusing clean household water and collecting water that is wasted while waiting for the hot water to reach your faucet then using it to water houseplants or outdoor plants.
• Using water efficient appliances.
The Clallam Bay/Sekiu Water System draws its water from a well field near the Hoko River, and streamflow is used as an indicator of upcoming groundwater shortages in the region.
Improved flow rates have allowed to district to downgrade the drought response from stage 3 to stage 2.
Under the less-restrictive stage 2 response, customers are asked to reduce outdoor water without any specific reductions.
The measures to reduce indoor water use are the same as those recommended for a stage 3 response.
The PUD also has stage 2 drought responses in effect for its Port Angeles Composite, Evergreen, Carlsborg and Panoramic Heights water system.
For a more comprehensive list of ways to save water, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.
