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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015
Vol. CXXIV, No. 164
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
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Pierce County aims to curb water usage by 10 percent
Posted online Mon., Aug. 24 Photos Courtesy Pierce County Pierce County officials announced Monday they will take steps to reduce water usage by at least 10 percent in response to record heat and dry conditions. "I am asking staff to reduce the irrigation of lawns and landscaping at our facilities until further notice," said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. "We are experiencing a record drought and will continue to water our landscaping enough to keep it alive but our lawns will likely start to go brown if drought conditions linger." McCarthy added that staff will continue to water ball fields and golf courses to ensure the safety of players and a quality experience, but that Pierce County will also look for additional ways to reduce water use within its office buildings. "One of the measures that we are currently implementing is we've stopped irrigating all of our unnecessary landscaping," said Pierce County Resource Conservation Program Manager Jessica Ludwig. "Lawns, for instance, can take up to fifty gallons per water a year to keep green. So we're actually letting them go dormant." Prior to this effort, Pierce County has reduced water use at its facilities by 19.6 percent since 2009, saving 15.4 million gallons each year in county-owned buildings such as the Pierce Coun-
Citing record heat and dry conditions, Pierce County officials announced Monday they will take steps to reduce water usage by at least 10 percent. "One of the measures that we are currently implementing is we've stopped irrigating all of our unnecessary landscaping," said Pierce County Resource Conservation Program Manager Jessica Ludwig (LEFT). "Lawns, for instance, can take up to fifty gallons per water a year to keep green. So we're actually letting them go dormant." ty Jail, Remann Hall, and Annex West, according to Pierce County officials. "In some of our facilities, we have implemented low-flow plumbing fixtures," added Ludwig. "For hand-washing sinks, we have brought all of the water flow down to a really low level. We have also implemented some shower controls to reduce the shower times in our jails. Over the past few years, we have been implementing irrigation controls at all of our main sites." The Pierce County Parks Department is also working to reduce water usage by at least 10 percent by cutting back on potable water at athletic complexes such as Sprinker Recreation Center and Heritage Recreation Center. Pierce County is also urging residents to consider cutting back on water use at work and at home during the drought, adding that allowing
lawns to go dormant, checking for water leaks, and sharing information about the drought with friends and family can also help reduce water use. More information about Pierce County's water supply is available online at savingwater.org. Last month, the City of Tacoma joined the City of Everett and the City of Seattle in implementing the first stage of their water shortage response plans as a result of historic low river levels, record-setting hot and dry weather, and an increased demand for water (see "Hot weather forces Tacoma to activate water shortage response plan," Tacoma Daily Index, July 27, 2015). Last week, Assistant Tacoma City Manager Mark Lauzier asked general government department directors to reduce water consumption in their departments by at least 10 percent.