PUD increases drought response to Stage 2 with voluntary water conservation measures
Published 1:30 pm Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Clallam County PUD announced on Tuesday, May 12 that it’s encouraging water utility customers in the Carlsborg, Evergreen, Port Angeles Composite and Panoramic Heights water systems to begin voluntary water conservation measures. This is a Stage 2 Response from the District’s Drought Response Plan.
In April, the Washington State Department of Ecology issued a statewide emergency drought declaration citing lower than usual snowpack levels with above-normal predicted temperatures and below-normal predicted precipitation. According to the PUD’s Drought Response Plan, an active state drought declaration in May meets the criteria for a Stage 2 Response for the above-mentioned surface and ground water systems.
The objective of the Stage 2 plan is to encourage customers to conserve water and to prepare customers for possible additional drought response measures later in the season, staff report, and that the PUD’s groundwater sources have historically been drought tolerant and operators will monitor these sources throughout the summer to confirm their reliability.
Surface water sources are more likely to be impacted by drought conditions and PUD water staff are reported to be taking steps to ensure ground water sources will be available to mitigate these impacts.
The Island View Water System, west of Sekiu will likely see the most active drought response as this system relies on surface water and does not contain a ground water source of supply, staff said.
Drought response to the Island View Water System has included mandatory water conservation and trucking of water from the neighboring Clallam Bay Sekiu Water System in past years.
The PUD said some ways customers can reduce their water consumption include:
• Reduce outdoor water use.
• Fix all leaky faucets and toilets.
• Take shorter showers, not baths.
• Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
• Operate automatic dish and clothes washers only when full.
• Reuse clean household water. Collect all water that is wasted while waiting for the hot water to reach your faucet. Use this water for houseplants or outdoor plants.
• Use water efficient appliances.
For a more comprehensive list of actions to save water or to access more information on water conservation go to https://www.epa.gov/watersense.
