Port Townsend asks for voluntary water conservation

Published 2:20 pm Friday, July 24, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend has issued a voluntary water conservation notice for households, businesses and industrial water use.

Dry conditions this year have accelerated depletion of the watershed snowpack, the city stated in a news release Friday afternoon. Drawdown of Lords Lake Reservoir, a 500-million-gallon storage reservoir, began on Wednesday, several weeks earlier than in an average year.

While precipitation may minimize reservoir drawdown at times, the city is asking customers to voluntarily conserve water until rain this fall replenishes river flow.

Port Townsend relies on precipitation in the Olympic Mountains to meet its municipal and industrial water needs. Flow in the Big Quilcene River, its primary water source, is typically sustained by the snowpack through July. It is often necessary to utilize water from Lords Lake by early September, the city stated in the news release.

The Port Townsend Paper Company uses a large proportion of the water supply and has implemented a number of additional conservation measures to reduce water consumption, the city stated in the news release. Should the Lords Lake Reservoir empty, the mill will be required to curtail operations or shut down, city representatives said.

“The City thanks water customers as well as the Mill for conservation measures that help reduce water use each fall when Lords Lake and stream flows are at their lowest,” the news release stated. “The City also appreciates ongoing water conservation efforts throughout the year to help reduce our community’s overall consumption.”