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Water Shortages
Water shortages are common in the region. The Puget Lowlands are dependent on winter snowfall for water supply. Most shortages do not cause enough disruption or require a high level of interagency response to rise to the level of a disaster. Shortages are mainly slow onset events giving the city the chance to adjust.
Shortages depend on the balance of supply and demand. As the Puget Sound region grows, the chance of a shortage increases. The major effects of shortages are economic, but there hasn't been a quantitative analysis completed so overall losses remain unknown. Water shortages also impact Seattle City Light. Less water means less power generated. Typically shortages are most severe in the summer when City Light has an abundance of power, which it sells to other power companies.
Major Incidents
Year |
Event |
Impacts |
1992 |
Supply Shortage |
Scarce winter rains prompted emergency measures to avoid severe reservoir
depletion. Enforced mandatory restrictions reduced water consumption by 25-30%. |
1988 |
Pipeline Break |
The Tolt pipeline broke during a period of peak use. One hundred customers were
threatened in suburban areas with loss of service or low water pressure. The
public was asked to curtail all unnecessary water use. The goal was a 30%
reduction, but only 18% was achieved. The outage lasted several days. |
1976/77 |
Supply Shortage |
Precipitation was 57% of normal in Seattle. For three months the Palmer Index
was in the -4 range. Hydroelectric power generation dropped 47% and City Light
had to make emergency power purchases at highly inflated prices. As a result, it
had to increase its debt and put a surcharge on electric bills |
1952/53 |
Supply Shortage |
The lack of winter precipitation was a possible reason the state ordered power
cuts for hydroelectric dams. |
1928/29 |
Supply Shortage |
This was a long drought that lasted nearly one year. Precipitation was 20% of normal. |
1911 |
Pipeline Break |
The Cedar pipeline broke and took days to repair. It was the most severe
shortage the City has faced. Water distributed by wagon. Residents take water from Lake Washington. |
Issues to Note
Water shortages develop when the supply of water is too low or the demand for
water or power is too high. They are not the same as droughts, which are
prolonged periods without precipitation.
Seattle Public Utilities supplies most of the water in King County. It has two watersheds- the Cedar and the Tolt. It
wholesales water to suburban purveyors.
Most water in King County comes from two Seattle Public Utilities owned watersheds, the Cedar and the Tolt, Public health is not likely to be impaired because only 10% of the area's water is for direct public consumption
On the Web
Seattle Public Utilities Water Shortage Plan.
History Link Article on 1911 break
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