The Washington State Dept of Ecology has declared a drought emergency for most of Washington due to low snowpack and forecasts of dry and warm spring & summer seasons.

Please be aware of your water usage and make every drop count. The City of Yakima Water/Irrigation Division offers several water conservation tips, including:

• To reduce evaporation, water the lawn in early morning or evening. Avoid watering during the heat of the day or when it is windy.
• Check toilets for leaks.
• Don’t let the bathroom sink run while wetting your toothbrush, brushing your teeth or when shaving
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks.
• Keep a bottle or pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. This eliminates letting the tap run while waiting for the water to get cold.

Ready to save water? Here are more resources:

• Drought Conservation | Water and Irrigation (yakimawa.gov)
• Water Conservation | Water and Irrigation (yakimawa.gov)
• https://www.epa.gov/watersense 
• Our Water/Irrigation Division offers a PDF with 42 ways to save water –

Want to know more about the City’s award-winning water?

Yakima’s water quality has received awards at regional and state levels:

• The City of Yakima won the Best Tasting Water award in the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Central Washington Subsection competition in 2023 and 2024.

• The City of Yakima Water Treatment Plant has received the Gold Certificate of Achievement, presented by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Office of Drinking Water for meeting the high standards of DOH’s Treatment Optimization Program for 10 continuous years.

The City of Yakima’s 2022 Water Quality Report is available at 2022 CCR Final .PUB (yakimawa.gov) and in Spanish at 2022 CCR Spanish Final .pub (yakimawa.gov)