While you get your garden and lawn ready for the fall and winter seasons, be sure to check your irrigation system for leaks.

When was the last time you actually watched the entire watering cycle of your irrigation system?  It can be a surprise to a homeowner to see how much and where the water is going.

Were your water bills higher than you expected?
High bills can be the result of several things.  Yes, definitely, our record high wave is a factor, but it can also be in combination with some inefficient use of your irrigation system such as leaks, irrigation heads pointed in the wrong direction or broken spray heads that turns the landscape into fountains. 
It can also be vigorous vegetation growth that has overtaken the spray head spray pattern or spray heads buried or overwhelmed by grass or leaves.

Old, water-guzzling toilets can use 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush, accounting for up to 30% of all indoor water use in many households. However, newly manufactured toilets use only slightly more than one gallon per flush and still provide great flushing performance. The US EPA has developed a certification program called WaterSense that identifies the most efficient and best performing toilets. An independent laboratory tests all models and awards the WaterSense label to only those toilets meeting strict standards. 

Cascade Water Alliance offers a $100 rebate to any customer who purchases a WaterSense certified toilet. Households can receive up to 3 rebates ($300).  Businesses and apartments are not limited on the number of rebates, but the program is dependent on available funding. In addition to the rebates, Cascade offers free recycling of the old toilets. Participating customers can drop off their old toilets at designated recycling facilities at no charge. The old toilets are crushed and used in construction material. If you’re in the market for a new toilet, don’t miss this great opportunity.

Visit www.cascadewater.org to learn more or call Barbara Sullivan at 425-556-2845.