Welcome to our conservation page.

At Soos Creek Water & Sewer District water conservation is a high priority. We will periodically update this page to provide you with water saving tips and suggestions. We also hope to inform you of why conservation is so important for one of our most precious resources, water.

WashWise - Washing Machine Rebate Program

WashWise is a collaboration of Pacific Northwest electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities who have joined together to promote resource efficient washers in retail stores in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. The general goals of WashWise are to dramatically increase the market share of resource efficient washers in the program area and to influence the development and support of maximum energy and water efficiency levels for revised federal clothes washer standards.

If you are a water customer of Soos Creek, the WashWise program offers rebates of $50 to $100 for the purchase and installation of qualified energy and water-saving clothes washers. The more energy and water the washer saves, the higher the rebate.

To Apply for the Washwise Clothes Washer Rebate

1. Purchase a $50 - $100 Rebate Qualifying Clothes Washer
2. Obtain a WashWise Rebate form by one of the following methods:

• Download Form (pdf)
• Pick one up from a retailer
• Call the hotline at 1-866-632-4636.

3. Install the machine in a residence that gets its water from Soos Creek Water & Sewer District.
4. If your home is provided with electricity by Puget Sound Energy, you may be eligible for their rebate, on top of the rebate indicated above. Contact Puget Sound Energy for information about their rebate program.
5. Complete the rebate form and send it in with a copy of your receipt, within 90 days of washer purchase, to:

SPU Washwise Program 1400 SW 5th Av, #700 Portland, OR 97201

For more information

Contact the hotline at 1-866-632-4636, email WashWiseRebate@peci.org or visit the WashWise website at www.savingwater.org.

Links to other sites

• Seattle City Light's Washwise program
• Puget Sound Energy

Water Supply Update and Water Conservation Tips

Fall is for Planting

Fall is an especially good time to add plants to your garden. Cooler air and warm soil are the perfect combination for plants to start developing strong roots well ahead of our dry summers. Healthy roots make for more drought-tolerant, disease-resistant plants. Plus, autumn rains will water new plantings for you, making life easier. Many nurseries have fall plant sales. Before you head to your nursery to find great deals, know what your garden has to offer these plants. Here are a few examples…

• average conditions (full sun to partial shade, good drainage and sandy loam soil)
• dry shade (sometimes under conifers or eaves)
• dry sun (eight hours of full sun per day in the summer)
• naturally moist (sunny or shady spots that are moist year 'round without watering)

When you make a good match, your plants will flourish without excessive watering, pesticides or fertilizers. To learn more about how you can have a healthy, beautiful garden, look for our quarterly Savvy Gardener e-newsletter at www.savingwater.org.

Money-Saving Opportunities for Apartment Owners and Property Managers

Installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances is the key to saving water and lowering utility costs in multifamily housing.

Get Cash Incentives to Cut Water Use
Owners of buildings served by Soos Creek Water & Sewer Distirct can get financial assistance for installing water-efficient toilets, washers, and irrigation systems.

Soos Creek Water & Sewer District offers:

Toilet Replacements
Free replacements or rebates of $80 per fixture for replacing older toilets with FlushStar models that perform well and save water. (The free replacement is the FlushStar-qualified Western Pottery Aris.)

Laundry Equipment Upgrades
Rebates of $100 - $125 per coin-op machine. In addition, WashWise rebates up to $100 are available for eligible washers installed in apartment and condo units.

Irrigation Systems
Cash incentives to improve the efficiency of your irrigation system and avoid overwatering, which damages plants and increases water bills. New Construction and Major Remodel Projects Cash rebates for installing water-efficient toilets, bathroom faucet aerators and efficient washing machines in commercial construction projects. Pre-approval is required.

For more information, visit www.savingwater.org to download a rebate application form.

Save With Every Flush

Did you know that toilets are the biggest water wasters in the home? Whether you have a very old toilet or a modern model, the new generation of 1.28 gallons per flush WaterSense toilets and the 1.6 gallons per flush FlushStar toilets will save you water and money.

Most households can easily save thousands of gallons of water and more than $100 a year on utility bills by installing a WaterSense toilet, without sacrificing performance.

When choosing new toilets, look for the WaterSense or FlushStar label - these labels are your guarantee of performance, efficiency and quality. They have been independently tested and proven to perform, and are available in local stores.

Seattle water utilities are partnering with local retailers to promote FlushStar and WaterSense toilets and demonstrate the water and money savings these toilets can generate. Drop by your local retailer and check out the new generation of efficient toilets. Participating retailers include Aurora Plumbing, Home Depot, Junction True Value, McLendon Hardware, Morgan Electric & Plumbing and Pacific Supply. For a list of participating retailers and locations, please contact visit www.Savingwater.org.

Checking a Toilet for Leaks

Unknown water use is most often the result of a leaking toilet. Sometimes toilet leaks aren't seen or heard. It is a good idea to check for a leaking toilet at least once a year.

1. Remove the TANK lid.
2. Put 5-10 drops of food coloring in the TANK. Put lid back on but don't flush it yet.
3. After about 10 minutes, look in the BOWL. If you see color, you have a leak.

The main causes of a leak are either a "fill valve" that will not shut off or a bad "flapper".

Fill valve problem
A fill valve problem will cause water to flow over the "overflow tube", either because the water level is set too high or it won't shut the water off. If you can't adjust the water level lower or can't get the fill valve to shut off, replace the fill valve. Pedestal fill valves are considered more reliable than the ball and float type.

Bad flapper
If you had water run into the bowl during the dye test and the water level is not set too high, your flapper is probably leaking and it should be replaced. If your old flapper has a float on the chain, make sure your new one does too (or put the old float on the new chain). When replacing a toilet flapper, remember that it is very important to replace it with the proper flapper model for your toilet. Using a standard flapper in many 1.6 gallon toilets can make the toilet flush up to 3.5 gallons per flush (except FlushStar models).