On April 8, the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a statewide drought for the third year in a row. The department made the decision after the Washington State Water Supply Availability Committee (WSAC) declared that the predicted water supply was below “normal” levels across all counties.
In Washington, the drought declaration criteria is defined as water supply that is “less than 75 percent of normal, resulting in undue hardships to water users and the environment,” according to the Department of Ecology’s website.
The City of Auburn is encouraging residents to do what they can to conserve water as the state prepares for a dry summer. Matthew Colpitts, emergency manager for the City of Auburn, said “people are encouraged to … use efficient settings on things when you are washing your dishes or washing your clothes … [and] turn off your water when you’re not using it.”…