The City and Borough of Wrangell has issued a conservation advisory to water utility users, as increased wintertime demand outpaces replenishment of the town’s reservoirs.

A water watch was declared last Friday, the first of three stages in the emergency response plan the CBW Assembly had adopted last April. During a critical water shortage in the summer of 2016 the city had lacked a clear strategy for responding to such crises across departments.

During a Stage I watch alert such as this, Wrangellites are encouraged to reduce their water use by 10 or 20 percent. Depending on the threat s...