National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) Chairperson, Vice President Uduch Sengebau-Senior, issued a memorandum to all government offices, agencies, boards and commissions to practice water conservation measures.
A report of El Niño Watch by the National Weather Service and dropping water levels at the reservoir reported by Palau Public Utilities Corporation is increasing the probability of Palau going into drought conditions.
The memorandum urges government agencies to check for water leaks and reduce water consumption as much as possible.
The same notice was issued to the general public, urging people to practice water conservation measures. Despite the rains at certain times of the day, the drier conditions are getting more noticeable.
Palau experienced the most severe drought of its recorded history in 2014, both in duration and intensity. With all the improvements made to the water system, a severe drought will still impact communities and early conservation measures helps to mitigate the impact of potential drought.