Lacey updates water-shortage response plan, reminds customers of odd/even watering and exemptions

Charlene McKendree, the city’s water resource specialist, presented the City of Lacey’s 2025 Water Shortage Response Plan and the 2025 Consumer Confidence (water-quality) Report at the June 3 council meeting, describing trigger metrics, customer rules, and outreach measures for drought and operational shortages.

McKendree said the plan is updated annually and uses a present-possible-production metric (P3) that considers 24-hour maximum well pumping and reservoir capacity. She said the plan’s irrigation-season measures are in effect June 1 through Sept. 30 and may be adjusted by the Water Shortage Response Team as conditions change. "Stage 1 advisory, that's what we're in right now. It's, we ask all the water utility customers to abide by the odd and schedule so and it's in effect June 1 through September 30 also," McKendree said.

Stage definitions: the plan uses four stages. Stage 1 (advisory) asks customers to follow the city’s odd/even watering schedule and aims to reduce peak demand by 15%. Stage 2 triggers internal city actions and additional outreach to large commercial irrigation customers. Stage 3 would be a public-facing mandatory shortage with broader outreach and enforcement, and Stage 4 would be an emergency with strict prohibitions such as no irrigation of grass, no filling of pools, and restricted hydrant use to preserve drinking water.

McKendree reported last season’s average and projected production figures and explained that outdoor irrigation (grass and landscaping) accounts for most summertime increased use; winter average peak consumption is about 6 million gallons per day versus a typical summer peak of 13 million gallons per day. The plan lists P3 thresholds: internal actions at 16.5 million gallons per day and other thresholds for stages higher up to the emergency level. She said the city has not previously declared a Stage 3 mandatory shortage.

The city enforces an odd/even schedule that it said is authorized in Lacey Municipal Code (cited in the presentation as "Lacey municipal code 13.480.01"). Under the schedule, addresses ending in odd numbers water Saturday, Monday and Wednesday; even numbers water Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Exceptions include potted plants, hanging baskets, commercial greenhouses, heavily used publicly owned play fields, and pressure washing or vehicle washing. Temporary exemptions for newly planted lawns or sod can be approved for six weeks; variances for work-schedule conflicts may also be granted on a case-by-case basis.

McKendree also presented the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — required annually by the Washington State Department of Health — with 2024 test results, source information, backflow prevention guidance and links to local drought resources. Printed copies will be distributed to apartments, senior facilities and public locations, and the report is posted on the city website in English and five translated languages (Vietnamese, simplified Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog).

Why it matters: The plan sets clear operational triggers and customer rules for a season when outdoor irrigation drives demand; adherence to the odd/even schedule helps maintain pressure for firefighting and emergency needs and reduces the likelihood of more restrictive stages.

What happens next: The Water Shortage Response Team monitors well and storage performance and will recommend stage changes and outreach if needed. Customers seeking exemptions or variances should contact water resources as directed in the presentation.