EPA- Water Sence-What Is Fix a Leak Week?
Because minor water leaks account for more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted each year in U.S. homes, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared Fix a Leak Week, March 16 through 22, 2020—but remember that you can find and fix leaks inside and outside your home to save valuable water and money all year long,. Fix a Leak Week is sponsored by EPA’s WaterSense® program as an annual reminder to Americans to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. To learn more or visit the EPA Watersense website Cougar Irrigation is a EPA Water sense Partner and is determined to reduce your water usage in anyway possible.
Monthly System Checks
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We recommend that you test your sprinkler and adjust your controller MONTHLY. Most people only check their system when they notice problems such as water running down the street or grass dying or growing to fast in an area. We understand that most people do not want to pay to have someone come out monthly to run a system check so we have included a link to our customer maintenance checklist. Link coming soon. After you run your own self check, if you come across anything you can’t handle, give us a call 512-769-2351.
- Call the City to schedule an audit. 512-974-3507
- City will come out in 1-2 weeks and evaluate your system.
- E-mail list of recommendations to [email protected]
- Cougar will send a quote in 1-2 business days.
- Accept quote and schedule an installation time/date
- Save both water and money!
Irrigation in Texas is regulated by
TCEQ P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087
(512) 239-6719
Winter Wastewater Averaging Periods
WWaste water averaging for City of Austin water customers starts Nov 16th. Running your irrigation system during the City of Austin waste water averaging period could cost you a lot. During the winter months, most lawns and plants have a minimal water requirement that can be met by mother nature’s rainfall alone. If you are a typical irrigation user, this added “waste water penalty” would cost you $500 extra throughout the year. Consider that the typical “non-waste water” usage rate is only $2.20 per 0-2,000 gallons, and $4.70 for 2001-6,000. The water penalty for running your irrigation system during these months is $110-125 per every 1,000 gallons of water you use during these months. That is a STEEP penalty.
How can that be? Well, City of Austin waste water is charged out at a fixed rate of $4.85 per 1,000 gallons for usage of 0-2,000 gallons, 2,001+ gallons are charged out at a rate of $9.94 per 1,000 gallons. Based on your water usage during this 3 month period ( 90 consecutive days) . The calculation takes the average of the 3 “winter” months and uses this as the basis for the following 12 months waste water average charge. $9.94 x 12 months = $120 for every 1,000 gallons you use during these 3 winter months.. High water users will feel the pinch even more since doubling the usage doubles the penalty you pay all year long. * Typically user based on 4,000 gallons of household usage and 5,000 gallons of irrigation usage per month. High usage considered 15,000 gallons per month. If you are exceeding 20,000 gallons per month, please call us and schedule a irrigation water audit. We can create and seasonal water budget and irrigation programming that will keep you landscape happy and healthy, while keeping more money in your pocket.
For
more information go to the City of Austin Website. Click here
to read more.
For water purveyors other than the Austin Water Utility, please contact your local
purveyor for averaging dates.
City of Austin (Austin
Water Utility) http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/wwaverage/wwaverage.cfm
1. Go to website http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/wwaverage/wwaverage.cfm
2. Enter the Meter read date from your latest bill, this will determine your billing cycle
and your averaging dates
What if I don’t have my latest bill?
1. Login to you account online https://www.coautilities.com/
2. Click on the PAYMENT/BILL HISTORY TAB
3. Click on VIEW under Bill History. Use your latest bill ( first in the list.)
4. On the bill you will find the READ DATE.
5. Go back to the waste water averaging link and enter your date.
What if the internet and computers are not my thang?
1. Call the COA utilities customer care dept. (512) 494-9400
2. They will give you your billing cycle # ( a number from 1 to 20 )
3. Click on this link for a spreadsheet with all the dates http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/wwaverage/downloads/2011wwaschedule.pdf
or
If
you have either your METER READ DATE or your BILLING CYCLE NUMBER
Call Cougar 769-2351 and we will tell you the Waste Water Averaging Period along with tips
on how to save water and $$$ all year long.
City of Austin Residential Irrigation Rebate Program
How the program works:
For more info on the program and rebates, see the City of Austin website. http://www.cityofaustin.org/watercon/irrigationrebate.htm
Why do we promote water conservation? Check out the Texas Drought
Monitor?
Tracking drought blends science and art. No single definition of drought works for all circumstances, so people rely on drought indices to detect and measure droughts. But no single index works under all circumstances, either. That’s why we need the Drought Monitor, a synthesis of multiple indices and impacts that represents a consensus of federal and academic scientists. The product will be refined over time as we find ways to make it better reflect the needs of decision-makers and others who use the information. See detailed report for the U.S. Drought Monitor of Texas.