Last week, Seattle Public Utilities downgraded the water outlook for the region from "good" to "fair." Because of less than average rainfall and minimal snowpack in the mountains, Alex Chen of SPU told the Seattle City Council Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee on Tuesday that the South Fork Tolt River and Cedar River watersheds have been drawn down to levels not normally seen for another month.
There’s no reason for Puget Sound residents to panic just yet. There is enough water to last until next fall. But if the situation does get worse, SPU has a contingency plan up its sleeve. The steps of that plan range from begging to requiring customers to use less water. The final step would impose harsh charges and penalties on those still using too much water.
So far, said SPU Director Ray Hoffman, people are proving that they’re paying attention. With very little outreach, SPU has already seen customers use less water than they normally do.
