City of Lacey to enforce odd-even watering schedule through summer 

Posted

City of Lacey homeowners and renters with outdoor lawns or gardens will be subject to a mandatory odd-even watering schedule from June 1 through Sept. 30. 

The Lacey City Council adopted the alternating day policy in 2006 to avoid costly water infrastructure additions during the summer demand surge. The rule has been in effect annually since that time. 

The schedule groups properties by the last digit of their street address: 

  • Odd-numbered addresses (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays 
  • Even-numbered addresses (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays 
  • Fridays: No outdoor watering for any address 

Residents may apply for a temporary exemption if they recently installed sod or seeded a new lawn. Residents with an irrigation system watering both sides of a street at the same time also qualify. Applications go through the Lacey Water Resources Office. 

Water usage 

In a data released on May 14, the city reported that average daily water usage in Lacey more than doubles between the cooler months and summer. 

Usage climbs from about 6 million gallons per day in the off-season to 15 million gallons per day from June through September. 

Before the policy took effect, peak summer demand reached 17 million gallons per day. By 2024, that figure dropped to 15 million gallons per day, even as the number of water customers in the city grew. 

To apply for an exemption, property owners may contact the Water Resources office at 360-438-2687 or email WaterResources@CityofLacey.org. 

Comments

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  • HotTractor

    Don't dump drinking water on the ground.

    Monday, May 18 Report this

  • jimLacey

    Rather than a temporary exemption if they recently installed sod or seeded a new lawn, there should be the opposite - anyone installing sod or seeding a lawn this time of year should be paying more, not less for the waste.

    Tuesday, May 19 Report this