At the beginning of May, Mercer Island City Manager Jessi Bon declared a local state of emergency due to water supply issues.

To close out the month, the city issued a social media notice that the public is encouraged to take small water conservation steps while crews work to repair the out-of-service Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) water supply pipeline that serves the Island.

As previously reported, the city said a smaller backup line is currently providing water in the main pipeline’s place, but likely won’t keep up with summer water demand.

On April 3, the city experienced a SPU water main leak that created unstable soil conditions and posed a landslide risk. With safety at the forefront, staffers evacuated about 20 nearby homes in the vicinity of 95th Court Southeast. The evacuees spent the night of April 3 away from home while SPU crews shut off the faulty pipe to alleviate the landslide risk. The residents received the go-ahead to return to their abodes on the evening of April 4.

In its May 29 notice, the city said, “Mercer Island is currently receiving enough water, but to ensure we have sufficient supply to sustain water quality, safety and firefighting requirements in the high-demand summer months, the city is sharing steps we can all take to collectively conserve water.”

Outdoor and indoor water conservation actions listed on the city’s Let’s Talk page include watering lawns in cooler temperatures early in the morning or later in the evening and only when necessary; attaching a rain barrel to gutters to collect rainwater; washing only full loads of laundry and running a full dishwasher; taking shorter showers and more.

“It is likely that the city will impose voluntary water conservation measures in June. Our shared efforts to limit water consumption now will help reduce the likelihood of mandatory water use restrictions in the future,” the city said.

In a statement to the Reporter in early May, the city said it is committed to keeping the community apprised of water supply and water conservation matters.

“We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of all Mercer Islanders to collectively look out for the health and safety of our community, especially during challenging situations,” the statement reads.

For more information, visit: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/water-conservation-guidance