Washington City Encourages Residents To Use More Water

While some states pass conservation measures and struggle against drought, things look pretty different in certain water-flush areas of Washington state.

"As of mid-September, no area of the state is being considered for a drought declaration under criteria outlined in state law," the state Ecology Department announced.

In fact, policymakers in Port Angeles, WA, are considering rate structures aimed at encouraging residents to water their lawns more.

City council members are considering changing the city's water rate structure for residential customers to a one flat rate structure so more people will grow flowers and gardens. They currently have a three-tier, consumption-based system.

“We’ve got water,” Councilman Lee Whetham said, per the Peninsula Daily News.

How much water does the area have?

"The city has an Elwha River municipal water right for domestic use that allows 32.3 million gallons per day, [according to Craig Fulton, city public works and utilities director]. He said average daily water consumption for the city and wholesale customers ranges between 2.75 million and 3.4 million gallons a day, with peak daily consumption between 6.10 million and 7.17 million gallons daily," the report said.

In effect, the plan would be forgiving to residents who use more water in the summertime. "The proposal to replace the present three-tier, consumption-based system with one rate came out of a two-hour council work session," the report said.

The counterargument: Maybe people don't care if their lawns are brown.

“Are we so sure that people in fact do have this burning desire to have the town be green?” Deputy Mayor Patrick Downie said, per the report. “I worry a bit whether that really is true.”

Meeting participants also chimed in on the economics of the plan, questioning if the change would put the city in a tough spot, according to the report.

“It will not take much of a negative trend to put the city and its water utility in a very difficult position,” Byron Olson, the city’s chief financial officer, said per the report.

Port Angeles approved solid waste rate increases earlier this year, according to a separate Peninsula Daily News report.