Birch Bay Water and Sewer District

WHATCOM WATER ALLIANCE:

Local Governments Tackle Water Conservation

Recognizing the growing importance of effective management of precious water resources, cities and water districts in WhatcomCounty are forming a regional water conservation group, the Whatcom Water Alliance.  The goals of the Alliance are to promote water conservation by coordinating public information efforts and related activities. In 2007, the Washington State Department of Health adopted the Water Use Efficiency Rule, requiring municipal water suppliers to develop more effective water conservation programs.  The new rule views regional collaboration with other utilities as a cost effective approach to water conservation.  Current Alliance members include the cities of Blaine, Ferndale, and Sumas as well as Birch Bay Water and Sewer District, Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District, Point Roberts Water District, Water District #2 and Water District #7.  Bellingham, Lynden and Everson have been participating in Alliance meetings and are also considering joining the Alliance.

Finding your meter

The District, along with other Cities and Districts in Whatcom County, is implementing a voluntary watering schedule from June 15th through September 15th.  During that time, residents with odd numbered street addresses are being asked to limit watering to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  The watering days for even numbered street addresses are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  The District has designated Mondays as non-watering days to allow reservoir levels to recover after the weekend. 

The District has practiced water conservation since 1991 to ensure safe, reliable drinking water supplies to our customers.  As a municipal water supplier, the District must also comply with Washington State Water Use Efficiency Requirements and implement a Water Use Efficiency Conservation Program.
 

Majority of our daily water consumption occurs inside the home.  The average water consumption for a single family home is 69 gallons of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning!  Simple and small changes in your daily water use can amount to large savings over time.  Tips towards a water efficient home are:

Water usage during summer months almost doubles due to outdoor activities such as lawn watering, car washing and filling of swimming pools.  It is estimated that nearly half of this water use is wasted to evaporation loss, run-off and over-watering.  Turfgrasses only need 3/4 - 1 inch of water per week to maintain green color and active growth. 

Slow drips of water can add up quickly.  Leaky faucets and “running” toilets after flushing are often the biggest water wasters inside the home.  If the faucet is leaking hot water, energy is being wasted as well.  Checking for leaks is very simple and repairs are usually minimal.  The following links give guidance on how to find and repair leaks and how to locate and read your water meter.  The "Find and Fix Leaks" pdf was developed by Seattle Public Utilities for the Saving W

2008 Summer Newsletter #1 (PDF)

2008 Spring Newsletter (PDF)

2007 Fall/Winter Newsletter (PDF)

2007 Summer Newsletter (PDF)

A lot of information exists on the internet about water conservation issues.  Below are additional websites that contain useful water conservation tips. 

• H2OUSE
• EPA WaterSense
• Partners for Water