How Everett, PUD will manage this year's drought

EVERETT — Although Washington issued a statewide drought declaration last week, Everett customers will likely not face challenges getting their drinking water during the drier summer and fall months, officials said.

But that doesn’t mean the region will not be impacted by the drought, the fourth declared within the state over the past four years. Ecosystems, fish and farmers across Snohomish County could face difficulties from a dry year thanks to the lack of snowpack in the mountainous areas of Washington following a warm winter.

Around 670,000 people in Snohomish County — three quarters of its population — gets their water from the Everett utility, which operates the Spada Reservoir along with the Snohomish County Public Utilities District, or PUD. The 50-billion-gallon reservoir provides drinking water for people, as well as for fish and power generation.

Even with the drought declaration, Everett’s drinking water supply is at a better point now than it was at this time last year, said Ryan Sass, the city’s public works director. That’s largely because of careful planning earlier in the season, combined with the sheer amount of storage the Spada Reservoir provides.

https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/04/19/how-everett-pud-will-manage-this-years-drought/