eCurrents

Maintained Sprinklers Make Every Drop Count

Small steps go a long way to ensure your irrigation system doesn’t waste water and drive up utility expenses. Here are some easy solutions to keep a sprinkler system working at its best.

Inspect it for leaks, pooling, malfunctioning heads, or blocked sensors and make repairs as needed.

Direct sprinkler heads toward the lawn and landscaping. Watering pavement is a waste.

Select a smart controller. They prevent overwatering by automating watering schedules and application volumes based on weather conditions and moisture needs, which can help lower monthly water bills.

Connect water-conserving sprinkler heads to maximize effective water application and reduce overwatering.

The Many Features of MyAccount

MyAccount is home to many of the most beneficial online tools and services available to Clark Public Utilities customers. Customers can personalize the specific utility account and service text and email notifications they want to receive. MyAccount users can monitor their home’s near-and long-term energy use. MyAccount also offers personalized tools to help households lower utility bills.

If it’s been a while since you’ve last logged in or if you still haven’t registered, visit myaccount.clarkpublicutilities.com to see what’s available.

A Special Guest Buzzes Into Utility Pollinator Gardens

The first sighting of an Apache cuckoo leafcutter bee (Coelioxys apacheorum) in Washington state was made at the Clark Public Utilities pollinator gardens. The bee was one of nearly 30 new or rare bee species recorded during the second year of the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Washington Bee Atlas.

The utility began adding pollinator friendly plants and gardens to our properties in 2021 when we launched the Pollinator Project. These gardens either replace previously unhospitable landscaping, turf grass or empty ground with low-maintenance flowering plants that support native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators in our community.

The gardens are designed with many elements that easily fit into your own outdoor spaces. For more information, visit our pollinator page.

Putting the Summer Sun to Good Use

Beat the heat by using it to your advantage to help your home stay cool and save energy.

Hang-dry clothes. Hanging clothes to dry on a sunny summer day costs nothing and keeps indoor spaces cool. While quick and convenient, just one load in a clothes dryer can raise a room’s temperature by several degrees. Plus, nearly half of its energy is wasted as heat loss.

Cook outdoors. Grills, barbecues, fire pits, and modular pizza ovens are delicious ways to eliminate major sources of residual indoor heat.

Put plants outside. The indoor greenhouse effect is great for houseplants but hard on people and pets. Moving plants outside helps them grow and allows you to cover the windows and keep indoor temperatures down.

DIY Advantages. Hot weather is great for softening materials and accelerating drying times, just be sure to follow the label’s directions and safety precautions.

Video Tips for a Cool Summer

Clark Public Utilities energy experts have curated a playlist of videos on our YouTube channel to help customers stay cool and avoid wasting energy this summer.

It covers everything from costly air conditioning myths to no- and low-cost cooling hacks, all individually selected by our team of energy experts.

To see the playlist, visit youtube.com/@clarkpublicutilities193/playlists.