In the wake of a July 8 afternoon urgent request for Mercer Island residents and businesses to immediately conserve water for the city to steer clear of the mandatory stage, the situation has improved with reservoir tank levels.

However, water conservation must continue, the city said in a post at about 3:25 p.m. on July 9.

The city displayed a by-the-numbers improvement in the post: Between midnight and 6 a.m. on July 9, Islanders consumed 787,000 gallons of water with a usage peak at 5,200 gallons per minute, compared to July 8’s numbers — from the same time period — of 1.2 million gallons consumed with a usage peak of 7,000 gallons per minute.

“Please continue conserving water to keep this trend going in the right direction,” said the city, which thanked residents for their efforts and noted that it will keep the community apprised of the situation daily.

Islanders are encouraged to sign up for city emails, including urgent alerts, at: https://www.mercerisland.gov/subscribe, and the King County emergency alert system at: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/executive-services/health-safety/safety-injury-prevention/emergency-preparedness/alert-king-county

For updates on Let’s Talk, visit: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/water-conservation-guidance