CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — As blue skies dominate the island’s rainy season, Okinawa officials are urging residents and the military community to cut down their water use.
Members of the Okinawa Draught Countermeasure Council met Tuesday, agreeing to step up an ongoing water conservation effort. The council plans to hit the streets next month to distribute fliers on ways to conserve water, said Yutaka Nakamura of the Okinawa prefectural Enterprise Bureau and a member of the council.
As of Wednesday, the water level average at the island’s 10 reservoirs was 45.5 percent, more than 30 percent below an average year, he said.
Meanwhile, measures to save water are under way in the military community.
18th Wing officials posted tips on the base Web site last week to encourage residents to reduce waste by limiting showers, installing aerators on faucets and restricting laundry to full loads. Wing officials were unable to respond to a Stars and Stripes query Wednesday and referred to the Web site. The base also upholds a 10-year-old policy that bans car washing in housing areas and watering of lawns.
Should reservoir levels continue to decline, the Web site said, restrictions would increase, including washing government-operated vehicles monthly instead of weekly, limiting the hours of Army and Air Force Exchange Service car washes to weekends only and serving water at restaurants only upon request.
Marine spokesman 2nd Lt. Lucas Burke said Marine Corps Bases Japan officials have not been asked by the Okinawa Enterprise Bureau to enforce official water conservation measures.
In an e-mail response to a Stripes query Wednesday, Burke said drought countermeasure levels are determined by the Okinawa Enterprise Bureau.
"Marine Corps Bases Japan officials coordinate all drought countermeasures with that office and communicate with them regularly," Burke said.
The council agreed during Tuesday’s meeting to urge people to cut down their water use by 5 percent, Nakamura said. People are urged to take extra steps to conserve water, like turning off faucets while brushing teeth or washing dishes, he said.
"We also ask people to decrease water pressure by adjusting pressure valves at each household," he said.
While Okinawa officials continue to closely monitor the water levels, rationing is not an immediate plan, he said.
"We are still in the rainy season," he said, adding that concerted and effective conservation efforts could get the same effect as rationing.
Okinawa’s rainy season, which started May 18, is expected to end June 23. So far there has not been enough rainfall to improve the water situation, he said.
Rainfall in June and July is expected to be within the normal range, but August is expected to be drier than normal, according to a three-month weather forecast report from Okinawa Meteorological Observatory.
If the current dry spell continues, water levels at major reservoirs on the island will be down below 20 percent of their full capacity by September, Nakamura predicted.
Stars and Stripes reporter Natasha Lee contributed to this story.
