EVERETT — Two weeks ago, regional water suppliers asked consumers to reduce their water consumption by 10 percent in response to the ongoing drought.
That seems to have worked. But we aren’t out of the woods yet, so they’re asking people to keep saving water.
Earlier this week, water levels at Spada Lake, Snohomish County’s largest reservoir, remained at 62 percent of what is considered normal for this time of year.
And the rains haven’t come, though showers are predicted Friday and a rainstorm for Saturday.
“We’re still at about 27 percent of normal for precipitation this time of year,” said Marla Carter, spokeswoman for Everett’s public works department.
The lake has a capacity of 50 billion gallons. A little less than half that amount remains, and much of the lake bottom is exposed.
Regional water utilities, including the Snohomish County Public Utility District and the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, are asking their customers to continue to reduce water consumption.
“We really need to return to normal precipitation before we’re out of the woods,” Carter said.
A lot will depend on when the fall rains start in earnest, Carter said.
Everett’s water utility serves an area with a population of about 570,000. The PUD has an additional 20,000 water customers.
The PUD, which manages the Jackson Hydroelectric Project at Spada Lake, is charged with providing clean drinking water to its customers, providing adequate water in the Sultan River for salmon, and generating electricity for about 333,000 customers.
In times of extreme shortage, electricity generation would be the first to be cut back, PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.
The utility is generating about two-thirds the amount of what it normally does at this time of year, he said.
The PUD usually cuts back on some electricity generation in the summer, Neroutsos said, but it’s been doing a little more — and buying other forms of energy — to keep the water flowing into the pipes and the river.
“The good news is that we expect some rain over the weekend, and it may be pretty significant Saturday and Sunday,” Neroutsos said.
The lake is currently at 1,399 feet of elevation. The PUD’s plans call for it to stop electricity generation if the water level drops to 1,380 feet.
The lowest level ever recorded was 1,387 feet in October 2011, Neroutsos said.
The region’s utilities are in the second stage of their drought response system. They are asking residents to let lawns go brown, to only water plants before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m., reduce showering time, fix any leaks and wash only full loads of laundry and dishes.
The utilities are monitoring the drought and updating their plans every two weeks. The next update is expected the week of Sept. 7.
Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @Chris_At_Herald.
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