Water Conservation

It’s not too late to set a New Year’s resolution to help protect the environment in 2026! Here are some ways we, as a community, can help preserve Earth’s most precious resource – water!

There are many common-sense measures and some surprising ones you can take to reduce water use. Simple actions such as turning off the water while you shave or brush your teeth, taking shorter showers, or thawing frozen foods in the fridge overnight instead of in the sink can reduce the amount of water you send down the drain.

Using less water at home and sending less wastewater to our regional treatment plant for cleaning means more green in your pocket! Water conservation also offers a variety of positive environmental impacts, such as reducing the energy needed to pump and treat water and protecting the rivers and lakes we all depend on.

Our local utility partners have more tips available at:

• Springfield Utility Board - go here
• Eugene Water and Electric Board - go here

To calculate your household's water usage, visit the Alliance for Water Efficiency here.

MWMC Budget Season Kicks Off

The beginning of a new year marks the start of the MWMC's budgeting process! The Commission and finance staff are working to create the new budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27, beginning with budget discussions at the Commission level. After the Commission passes the initial budget, it is then reviewed and approved by the Eugene City Council, the Springfield City Council, and the Lane County Board of Commissioners. After all three local governments approve the budget, the MWMC adopts it for the new fiscal year. Anyone who wants to learn more or has comments on the budgeting process is welcome to attend the MWMC's monthly meetings.

Pollution Solutions

Toilets Aren't Trash Cans

The toilet is not a trash can, yet people often treat it as one. At the wastewater treatment plant, we find evidence of all kinds of strange items that shouldn't have been flushed down the drain. We separate that waste and send it to the landfill because there's no efficient way to collect recyclables once they've been contaminated with raw sewage.

That's one of many reasons it's essential to dispose of items properly from the start, so recyclables don't become waste. Flushing trash down the drain can also damage and clog your pipes (and our pump stations)! Always be sure to throw away trash, recycle what you can, and flush only the three P's: pee, poop, and toilet paper.

Love receiving water news and tips for protecting the Willamette River each month? Forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague to share and encourage them to subscribe to our newsletter at this link. Thanks for partnering with us in our mission to protect the community's health and environment.