Reservoir Levels Dropping Quickly, Conserve Water Now

July 8, 2024 - With warmer than average weather conditions, water use has spiked significantly on Mercer Island causing our reservoirs to be depleted faster than they can be refilled. All Island residents and businesses should conserve water immediately and cut unnecessary use.

Water use peaked at more than 6,000 gallons per minute over the weekend, significantly above normal peak consumption. Exceptionally high use has not subsided today.

Mercer Island is only receiving 2,500 gallons per minute from a backup line that’s supplying water to the Island’s reservoirs – this is the maximum amount of water this pipe can provide. Certain reservoir levels are required to meet water quality, safety, and fire suppression needs. If water use continues at these high rates, levels in the reservoirs will fall below the “fireband” which is the amount needed for firefighting abilities.

Water use must be adequately reduced in the next 24 hours to avoid mandatory water restrictions and prevent a severe water emergency.

We are asking all Island residents and businesses to conserve water now by taking new or additional actions, such as:

• Ensure automatic irrigation systems are turned off
• Talk with any landscaping providers about cutting water use
• Avoid doing laundry for the next two days
• Minimize shower water use
• Do not run sprinklers
• Water plants/yards as little as possible
• Let your lawn go dormant (brown)
• Do not wash vehicles
• Do not refill swimming pools or hot tubs
• Turn off water features, such as fountains

Additional water reduction measures can be found on Let's Talk. You can monitor the City’s real-time water usage on our Water Usage Dashboard.

City Manager Jessi Bon and Mayor Salim Nice provided the community with an overview of this challenge and explained more about ways you can help in a Zoom Town Hall - you can watch the recording of the Town Hall webinar here: https://youtube.com/live/RBmcIHcJBuk.