Alert asks Pierce County residents to follow watering schedule, skip Fridays
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Washington Water urges Gig Harbor area residents to limit outdoor watering this summer.
- Some customers are asked to water on certain days of the week, based on their addresses.
- Outdoor irrigation in some areas should be avoided from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. and on Fridays.
Some Gig Harbor area residents should avoid watering their lawns or gardens on certain days to conserve water this summer, according to alerts Monday to customers of Washington Water Service.
The utility company issued notices for customers in their Artondale, Cedar Crest and Kopachuck water systems, with maps indicating the specific areas affected.
The Artondale and Cedar Crest notices said that residents’ water conservation will ensure the utility “can continue providing the appropriate water supply for health, safety, and firefighting capabilities.” Customers who live in these areas should avoid outdoor irrigation from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. and on Fridays, per the alert. Washington Water Service also asked customers in these areas to adhere to a watering schedule as follows:
▪ Water on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday if your address ends in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9).
▪ Water on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday if your address ends in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8).
The water district will inform customers when they can return to normal water use, the alert said. Those with questions or concerns can reach the Customer Service Center by calling (877) 408-4060, or emailing customerservice@wawater.com.
Matt Brown, general manager for Washington Water Service, wrote in an email Monday afternoon that the conservation notices aren’t driven by “drought conditions, so much as that customers all tend to irrigate their lawns/landscaping at the same time of day,” between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. When customers water at the same times and on the same days, that has “a significant impact on the system,” he continued.
The watering schedule “should help spread out the demand on the water system and ensure adequate supply for all customers,” he wrote. “Even during hot weather, it should not be necessary to water every day.”
Washington Water Service offers guidance on their website for water conservation, watering your lawn and more at wawater.com/conservation/resources.
The notice for the Kopachuck water system asked customers specifically to restrict their water use until the end of the day on Aug. 8, 2025, because of the failure of a well pump connected to the system. The company’s new pump is expected to come in three weeks, the alert said. Washington Water Service will let customers know when they can return to regular water use, and the Customer Service Center is available to hear questions or concerns.
“Conserving will allow the water system and water levels in the storage tank to be maintained and help prevent any potential water service interruptions,” the notice said. “Please turn off irrigation systems and use only as much water as absolutely needed for health and safety purposes.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about additional conservation requests issued by Washington Water Service in the Gig Harbor area.
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 3:52 PM.
