Public Utility District (PUD) No. 1 of Clallam County is requesting that water utility customers in the Carlsborg, Evergreen, Fairview and Panoramic Heights water systems begin voluntary water conservation measures.

Earlier this month. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought emergency citing low snowpack and low river flows.

According to the PUD’s Drought Response Plan, a drought declaration meets the criteria for a Stage 2 Response for all of the District’s surface and ground water systems.

The PUD has begun asking customers to voluntarily reduce their overall water usage.

The objective of the Stage 2 plan, PUD officials say, is to encourage customers to conserve and prepare customers for additional drought response measures later in the season.

Some ways customers can reduce their water consumption include: reducing outdoor water use; fixing any 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 (i.e. collect all water that is wasted while waiting for the hot water to reach the faucet; use this water for houseplants or outdoor plants), and using water-efficient appliances.

For a more comprehensive list of actions to save water or to access more information about water conservation, visit wateruseitwisely.com.