The dire situation with Mercer Island's water supply has only intensified, as the city is asking residents to immediately conserve water to avoid a "severe water emergency." In a Monday night release, the city issued a public safety alert that water use has spiked amid unseasonably hot temperatures across western Washington. This has caused reservoirs to be diminished more quickly than they can be refilled. Currently, Mercer Island said it is only receiving 2,500 gallons per minute from a backup line, while use peaked at 7,000 gallons per minute Monday morning. The city said if use continues at these rates, reservoir levels will fall below the minimum amount needed for "firefighting abilities." READ MORE: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/mercer-island-water-emergency/281-b4956082-a1a1-4916-b079-fdc1ce7a63e8