Tumwater offers incentives to residents joining water conservation programs

Tumwater Water Resources and Sustainability (TWRS) will give incentives to its water customers who participate in conservation programs.

Tumwater Water Resources Specialist Carrie Gillum said it has always been the department’s challenge to get public engagement and inspire consumers about water conservation during her presentation before the Tumwater Public Works Committee on Friday, April 8.,

Gillum said the department has 11 ongoing programs for promoting water conservation, partnering with LOTT Clean Water Alliance on some of the measures.

The programs include customer-based conservation efforts and city-controlled operator-based conservation efforts.

The first effort they are making is educating consumers on pricing. “The more water you use or go into certain amounts, the higher rate you pay,”  said Gillum.

By giving an example, Gillum said an average household consumes about 600 cubic feet per month, which is in the first tier rate. “So they are paying $2.75 per 100 cubic feet.”

But during summer, Gillum said they see a lot of consumers that have an increased rate. “It goes up about 1,100 cubic feet per month. That is usually because of irrigation that is outdoors. You have to pay an increased rate of $3.04 per 100 cubic feet. The idea is when you use less, then you spend less.

TWRS is doing education and outreach in various mediums and platforms to put out their messaging to the public, including email lists for newsletters and articles, Facebook pages, and others.

The water resources division has irrigation audits, free consultations and education available for irrigation account users. Gillum said it has been around since the early 2000s and it has not been well-utilized. “I think part of it may be because few people know about it.”

TWRS will give individualized recommendations for maintaining a healthy landscape while minimizing water usage. 

The Water Resources and Sustainability Department also offer freebies to their customers, including a hose flow meter, spray nozzle and rain gauges which can be used for irrigation to determine the amount of water used. They have been distributing the gadgets before, but they stopped because of the pandemic.

Gillum hopes that people will get the freebies and educated in the process.

TWRS has rain barrel rebates available for $10. On average, the department processes three applications per year. They can give up to six rain barrel rebates per address.

The smart irrigation equipment rebate is 50% or up to $200 for the purchase and installation of an irrigation controller.

According to Gillum, LOTT provides all customers with an indoor water savings kit, including a showerhead, kitchen and bath and faucet leak detection tablets.

LOTT also offers $100 rebates for high-efficiency toilets which are 1.1 gallons per flush to all sewer customers. Customers may apply to the city for the rebate.

LOTT provides a $50 rebate for the purchase of an Energy Star washing machine. The program has 200 rebates per year; 30 are going to Tumwater customers. They also provide up to 75% off water-saving retrofits for industrial, commercial, and institutional customers who install water-saving equipment and fixtures.

Goals for 2028

Gillum said the department wants to maintain the 3% annual reduction in equivalent residential unit (ERU) or average daily demand, expressed in gallons per day. Over the years, she said, they have seen a decrease in ERU since 2007.

But for the two years, Gillum said, the downward trend has flattened. “Part of the reason is the people are at home for the last couple of years… but we are still seeing a downward trend which is encouraging.”

TWRS also wants to maintain a peaking factor of two, a ratio of the maximum daily demand to the average daily demand in the water system.

“As long as we start pushing out with more of our conservation ideas, I think we will be able to continue with the peaking factor,” she said.

Another goal is to reduce average distribution system leakage (DSL) to 5%.

Gillum presented a graph showing that Tumwater has successfully reduced the DSL by making it below 5%. She pointed out that the Department of Health’s allowed requirement is 10%.

In the future, Gillum said, the department wants to see a decrease in commercial water use by targeting outreach to hotels and commercial kitchen businesses through the Watersmart program.