ARLINGTON — Saving water has been on people’s minds around here for the past 20 years.
So this year’s statewide drought shouldn’t spark any new restrictions for homeowners. It does make the city’s voluntary conservation plan more important than ever, water resources planner Mike Wolanek said.
“In drought situations, as things become more serious, you can implement measures that are stricter,” he said. “We’re still in our normal water efficiency mode. It’s not focused on drought and restrictive measure but more on wise use.”
The program focuses on how often homeowners should water their lawns, ways to prevent wasteful leaks around the house and other tips to make the most of a limited water supply.
A yard watering calendar went out with utility bills and is available online at the city’s website. The same calendar is available through the Snohomish County Public Utilities District. It’s color coded and, based on the last two digits of a street address, tells homeowners what days to water their lawns to keep the grass healthy without using excessive water. Arlington Public Works Department officials plan to distribute conservation packs later this summer with hose nozzles, hose repair kits and sprinkler timers, all meant to cut down on leaks and waste. Techniques for getting the most done with the least amount of water waste also are listed online.
In the summer, water use goes up roughly 80 percent on average for single family homes in Arlington compared to winter, Wolanek said. Most of that increase is used outdoors — for watering lawns, washing cars and filling swimming pools.
The city relies mainly on well water. There are riverbank wells along the Stillaguamish near Haller Park, and a well system at the Arlington Municipal Airport that draws from a deep aquifer. The city also can buy water from Everett’s Spada Reservoir.
“What this summer’s going to do is it’s going to test our system,” Wolanek said. “In Arlington, we’re watching the Stillaguamish River.”
A nearby gauge in the Stilly measured the height of the river at just under 2 feet and the flow at 252 cubic feet per second Thursday, 19 percent of the average, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was the lowest flow on record for June 25 looking back 86 years.
The low river shouldn’t impact Arlington’s water supply much, especially with the Spada Reservoir as back-up, Wolanek said. However, long-term water security depends on conservation.
“We don’t think that things are going to go south on us, we don’t think we’ll need to be restrictive, we think we’re resilient, but there’s some weird stuff happening with the climate,” Wolanek said. “Drought is a sobering event that happens periodically. It should be a warning to everyone to use water wisely.”
Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.
Tips for conserving water include:
Check regularly for leaks in hoses, faucets or pools
Water smaller gardens by hand rather than using a sprinkler
Take shorter showers
Only run dishwashers and laundry machines when they are full
Unusually high water bills could be a sign of leaks or other problems
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