Windward residents from Makapu'u to Hau'ula are being asked to voluntarily cut back water use by 10 percent starting on Sunday.

In addition, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply is asking Windward residents to restrict their lawn watering to Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

Water use should be cut back by 50 gallons a day, 350 a week during this voluntary water saving period, according to the Board of Water Supply.

Lack of rainfall is the main reason that the water sources on the Windward side, an area typically rich with rain water, are showing signs that water supplies are being stretched, BWS officials said.

More than 19 million gallons of water per day was pumped in the Windward district in August. Cutting back overall water use will allow Windward wells to build up storage, officials said.

In a weeks time, just shaving off two minutes a shower can save 154 gallons and 308 gallons a week by turning off the water when you brush your teeth.

For more tips go to www.boardofwatersupply.com or call 748-5041.

"We're hopeful that, through voluntary actions of each person and the cooperation of our large water users, we'll be able to avoid mandatory measures, said Cliff Lum, BWS manager and chief engineer, in a prepared statement.