Pierce County government will be taking steps to reduce water usage by at least 10 percent.

“I am asking staff to reduce the irrigation of lawns and landscaping at our facilities until further notice,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “We are experiencing a record drought and will continue to water our landscaping enough to keep it alive but our lawns will likely start to go brown if drought conditions linger.”

Tacoma Water has announced it has initiated Stage 2 of its Water Shortage Response Plan. McCarthy added that staff will continue to water ball fields and golf courses to ensure the safety of players and a quality experience, but that Pierce County will also look for additional ways to reduce water use within its office buildings.

“Our lawns will come back when the winter rains eventually come,” said Pierce County Sustainability Manager Ryan Dicks. “The problem is that weather forecasters are calling for a dryer than normal fall and early winter.”

The County is also urging residents to consider cutting back on water use at work and at home during the drought, stating that allowing lawns to go dormant, checking for water leaks and sharing information about the drought with friends and family can help reduce water use as well. For more information on the County’s water supply, visit savingwater.org.

Prior to this effort, Pierce County has reduced water use at its facilities by 19.6% since 2009, saving 15.4 million gallons each year in county-owned buildings.