Despite a call for a voluntary 10% reduction in water use on Oahu, consumption is up slightly from a year ago amid concern about drought, brush fires and the potential for mandatory water rationing ahead of what’s expected to be a drier-than-average summer.

“It’s been dry everywhere,” Kathleen Elliott-Pahinui, spokesperson for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, said Monday. “It’s challenging, to say the least.”

Oahu’s water agency in March called for its customers to voluntarily reduce consumption by 10% following the loss of a key source of city water in the aftermath of the Navy Red Hill water contamination crisis.

Officials warned that if the problem were to worsen this summer, the board might have to impose mandatory restrictions on water use and perhaps place a moratorium on new construction projects.

BWS administrators, however, are now saying they are making some adjustments and repairs to the water system in hopes of bringing more wells online to avoid the imposition of mandatory reductions.

But the voluntary cutbacks still will be needed, they said, as April saw 71% of normal rainfall.

“It’s still a water shortage condition. It’s still a serious situation,” Barry Usagawa of the agency’s Water Resources Division told the board.

Elliott-Pahinui said that even though there has been an increase in water consumption on Oahu over the past year, the board has experienced good cooperation from government agencies and the public, and the situation could be worse.

The Honolulu Parks and Recreation Department, for example, is working to reduce its water use by more than 10%, she said.

The department has been reducing the amount of watering time, scheduling watering during twilight hours where possible and limiting the hours of operation for park fountains at Kapiolani Park and Thomas Square, among other things.

“As one of the city’s largest users of water, we felt it was incumbent on us to lead by example,” said Nathan Serota, parks spokesman.

Elliott-Pahinui said the conservation message usually takes time to filter to the entire community.

“We’re still asking for water conservation. We want our customers to cut back wherever they can,” she said. “We’ll see how it goes this summer.”

National Weather Service forecasters said in May to expect a drier-than-average summer with drought conditions likely to intensify and expand over most of the islands.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center’s forecast probabilities and climate model consensus favor below-normal precipitation through the dry season and possibly into the early part of the next wet season, they said.

Weather officials also said a significant risk of wildfire is expected to develop much earlier than the historical late July-to-early August time frame, with leeward areas having the highest risk.

Officials with the National Weather Service, Honolulu Fire Department and state Division of Forestry and Wildlife will hold a news conference this morning to discuss the upcoming brush fire season and how residents can prepare for and protect property.

So far, nearly half of the state is experiencing drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. And the Kailua-Kona district of Hawaii island, the west side of Molokai and a portion of West Maui are classified as being in extreme drought conditions.

NWS hydrologist Kevin Kodama said these areas of extreme drought are only expected to expand this summer.

Severe drought in the leeward areas of Oahu are also expected to grow in size and possibly worsen to extreme drought and affect the agriculture sector, he said, while the leeward areas of Kauai County will develop severe drought later in the summer.

Pockets of moderate to severe drought also could develop on the windward sides of all of the islands, with water systems dependent on surface water and rain catchment most vulnerable.

For windward areas, summer drought might mean the same number of days with rainfall but less rainfall per day, Kodama said.

Experts say there will be a growing chance of wildland fire as the vegetation grows increasingly dry over the summer months. What’s more, increasing drought severity often leads to hotter and faster-burning fires.

Officials say Hawaii, like other Western states, no longer has a set fire season — although the season does heat up during the summer when rainfall is historically lower.

Officials said you can do your part to prevent wildfire by:

>> Making sure machinery such as chain saws and weed trimmers, and recreational vehicles have operating spark arrestors and are maintained regularly.

>> Parking cars on areas that are paved or where vegetation is trimmed and clear to avoid igniting dry grass.

>> Clearing vegetation 10 feet around campfires and barbecues while keeping a shovel and water nearby. Put them out cold before walking away.

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS

Here are some easy ways to conserve water:

>> Water lawns just once or twice times a week

Lawns don’t need to be watered every day, even during the summer. The fact is, if you water just once every three days, you promote deeper root growth, making your lawn healthier and more water-efficient.

>> Don’t water lawns between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Water evaporates quickly when the sun is out. So if you water during the day, you’re not watering the lawn, you’re watering the sky. Instead, water in the early morning, evening or at night. It’ll keep the water where you want it: in your lawn.

>> Check for plumbing leaks

How? Turn off water throughout your house, check the meter and check back two hours later. If it has moved, something’s leaking. Checking toilet leaks is even easier with a free Board of Water Supply test tablet.

>> Install water-efficient fixtures

New plumbing fixtures can save you gallons of water in the bathroom and in the kitchen. A new toilet can save 5 gallons or more every flush. A new shower head can save up to 5 gallons every minute. An aerator on your kitchen faucet can save up to 5 gallons daily. And, rebates are even available for some water efficiency upgrades.

>> Take shorter showers

Every minute trimmed from a shower will save 3 to 6 gallons of water. So get in and out a little faster, or pause the shower while you lather, shave or shampoo.

>> Put a nozzle on your garden hose

Left unattended, a running garden hose can waste over 100 gallons of water in just minutes. Use a shutoff or pressure nozzle so you only use what you need when you’re watering the plants, cleaning the house or washing the car.

>> Don’t let the faucet run and run

Turn off the tap while brushing teeth or shaving. In the kitchen, use a dishpan for soapy water and then rinse dishes with clean water quickly. Just imagine all that water running all over the counter or floor, instead of down the drain. That’ll give you a hint at how much water you’re inadvertently wasting.

Source: Board of Water Supply