Water Department

Welcome to the Water Department Home Page 

Vision Statement:

To serve our community with pride, be good stewards of the resources we are entrusted with, and perform the highest quality of work possible to produce high quality drinking water and protect public health.

 

Mission Statement: 

Provide our customers with reliable, high quality water that meets or exceeds local, state and federal water quality standards while maintaining affordable rates.

What We Do 

Arlington’s water system takes raw water from several different sources, filters any impurities, sanitizes it, and delivers a high quality, finished product through miles of pipes to thousands of customers.  Although generally invisible to the public, this process is a complex interaction of:

• natural resources (geology, ground water, precipitation, river flows),

• equipment (filters, pipes, pumps, reservoirs),

• chemistry (natural elements found in water, prohibiting bacterial growth, making water compatible with pipe materials),

• people (operators, analysts, maintenance personnel, planners, contractors, customers), and

• regulations (drinking water standards, construction standards, water rights, environmental effects).

What Do You Know About the Water You Drink?

Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, you have a right to know what is in your drinking water and how it compares to established water quality standards.  Your Water Department helps to assure your confidence as a water consumer through the preparation of annual reports.  The 2010 report summarizes the key findings of more than 16,000 water quality observations and tests we conducted in 2009.  We send copies to every bill paying customer by July 1^st of each year, and make every effort to get copies to other consumers by distributing reports to apartments and other rental units, and placing reports in City Hall, the library, and other public locations.  If you have not received a report, you can also download it below.  For additional questions about the award-winning water you drink, call the water department at 360-403-3526.

• 2010 Water Quality Report (for calendar year 2009)

Rebate Programs Help Reduce Indoor Water Use - with Benefits for You

For every 5 gallons of water used indoors, toilets account for nearly 1.4 gallons, and washing machines account for nearly 1.1 gallons.  The Water Department encourages you to implement conservation measures for each of these facilities which use half of your indoor water.  Rebates of up to $100 are available toward the purchase of high efficiency toilets and washing machines.  Please note these are separate programs administered by different entities outside the City of Arlington, so be sure to note the details of each.

Toilets qualify for rebates of up to $100 when they meet EPA’s WaterSense high efficiency toilet (HET) guidelines (single flush toilets 1.28 gallons per flush or less, dual flush toilets 1.6 gallons per flush with a reduced flush of 1.1 gallons or less).  Toilets must be purchased and installed in Snohomish County between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.  Program funds are limited and rebates are available County-wide, so act fast.  Rebates are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is gone.  The program is administered by the City of Everett; do not submit applications to the City of Arlington.

• List of qualifying toilets

• Toilet rebate application form

• Frequently-asked questions

• EPA brochure on high efficiency toilets

For more information on toilet rebates, see City of Everett Public Works Department. For more detailed information on high efficiency toilets, see the EPA's watersense web page.

Clothes washers qualify for rebates of $50, $75, or $100 depending on their level of energy and water consumption.  Washing machines must be purchased and installed between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.  You must be a water customer of the City of Arlington (or another water utility in the region).  Rebate applications must be submitted within 90 days of purchase.  The program is administered by Washwise in Portland, Oregon; do not submit applications to the City of Arlington.

• List of qualifying clothes washers

• Washer rebate application form

For more information on clothes washer rebates, see the WashWise web site.  Or call WashWise at 1-866-632-4636.

Lawn Watering Guide and Outdoor Water Conservation

During the summer, your daily water use can nearly double.  Much of this additional water goes to outdoor uses such as lawn watering and irrigation of gardens.  The City follows a lawn watering schedule to reduce the overall impact of summer water demand on our water supplies.  You help us, and save money, too, when you follow this schedule.  A copy was included in your utility bill this spring, and is also provided here. 

• 2010 Lawn Watering Calendar
  

In addition, consider the following tips for conserving water outside your home this summer.

• Follow the City’s lawn watering calendar as a guide.

• Collect rainwater in a barrel and use it to water non-edible plants.

• Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep roots.

• Use a broom to clean walkways and driveways, not the hose.

• Make sure your sprinkler is placed so it only waters the lawn, not the pavement.

• Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle when washing the car or watering.

• Water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation. Up to 30% of water can be evaporated by watering midday.

• Improve your soil by adding compost, aerating, and dethatching. Mulch around plants to reduce evaporation.

• Adjust the timer on automatic sprinklers according to seasonal water demands.

• Cover your spa or pool to reduce evaporation.

• Water only when needed. One inch of water a week, including rainfall, is all your lawn needs. To determine if your lawn needs to be watered, simply walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.