Sasebo sailors must take 5-minute showers as drought strains water supply

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Sailors at this U.S. Navy base in southwestern Japan must limit showers to five minutes and comply with other water-saving measures starting Monday as a persistent drought strains the city’s water supply.

Sasebo Naval Base will also close public and government-vehicle car washes, restrict shower hours at the Hario Housing fitness center and postpone routine fire hydrant testing and flow checks, according to the base announcement posted Thursday on Facebook.

The measures are mandatory for U.S. military personnel, and significant violations could result in disciplinary action, base spokesman Aki Nichols said by email Friday. Civilian employees, family members and others in the base community are strongly encouraged to follow them.

The restrictions follow Sasebo city’s declaration of level-five drought measures — its highest level — for the southern portion of the city, including all Navy housing areas, according to the base.

Despite heavy rain and flooding elsewhere in Japan, Sasebo has received relatively little precipitation, a city water bureau official said by phone Thursday. Some Japanese government officials must speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

“The rainfall levels so far have remained low and there is currently no forecast of rain that would lead to a recovery in reservoir storage levels,” the bureau said in a news release Friday.

Shimonohara Dam, which supplies the affected area, remains at about 60% capacity following conservation efforts and some rainfall this month, according to the bureau.

The city wants to maintain at least that level heading into December to prepare for the dry winter season.

“Therefore, it is essential that we maintain the current storage level,” the bureau said.

Sasebo raised the drought level for its southern water system on Sept. 1 and began reducing pressure in its main water pipes on Sept. 3. The system supplies Hario Village and the Hario Ordnance Facility.

The base is not required by the city to impose the same measures but adopted them as part of the conservation effort, Nichols said.

“It is our duty as a civic partner to support Sasebo City’s water conservation efforts during the ongoing drought,” base commander Capt. Wil Hines said in a statement emailed by Nichols on Friday.

The directive also instructs residents to save gray water for yards or potted plants and run washing machines and dishwashers with full loads and water-saving cycles.

The restrictions are designed not to interfere with operational requirements, Nichols said.