Special to the Reporter

Following the declaration of emergency issued on April 3 triggered by the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) water main leak that caused the city to evacuate 20 homes because of a landslide risk, the city and SPU have been addressing a significant issue: a major SPU water supply line is out of service.

According to a social media post on April 24, this line normally supplies most of the water to Mercer Island’s distribution system — a smaller backup line is currently providing water in its place.

“This backup line will not keep up with summer water demand and it is likely water conservation efforts will need to be enacted to manage daily demands. These may include reducing garden and lawn irrigation, running the dishwasher and washing machine only with a full load, using commercial car washes that recycle water, and reducing personal water use wherever possible,” the post reads.

“Although no conservation measures are currently in place, we are providing early notice that these actions are likely to be implemented soon,” the post continues. “This will ensure the Island’s water demand does not exceed the supply provided by the backup line and that city reservoirs will continue to meet resident needs while sustaining water quality, safety, and firefighting requirements.”

In the meantime, the city and SPU continue to work to address the supply line that is out of service, but the work will be prolonged due to the challenges associated with the site and topography.

Further updates will be shared as soon as they are available. Residents can follow this work on Let’s Talk: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/spu-water-main-leak