Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
Billing
Question: Why is my bill so high?
Answer: Your bill may be high for a couple of reasons. 1) You may have an undetected leak*, or 2) you may be applying too much water to your landscape**.
*To see how to check for leaks click here
**To verify how much water to apply to your landscape click here
Question: How do I read my new bill? What is different?
Answer: Recently we have simplified our billing. Previously, we would receive questions about how to read the water usage data. We have simplified the forms to display previous read, present read, and consumption only.
The District bills in 4 quarterly cycles per year. Each cycle is billed in advance for current charges plus past due balances. Past due bills are charged 10% late charge on previous balance. Monthly sewer rate is $27.00 plus tax. Water is $10.08 plus tax for 240 gallons per day. Water usage in excess of 240 gallons per day is charged at a higher rate. Most residential homes exceed the 240 gallons per day during the summer irrigation season. Some customers have a $3.00 monthly Water Replacement fee for repayment of the water system purchased in their neighborhood. For more detailed explanation of the bill click on Billing and Finances.
Question: Can I pay by credit card?
Answer: The LLSWD is working to bring this option to you soon.
Question: Can I pay electronically?
Answer: Yes you can pay electronically. In 2005, the District implemented a program of direct debit for payment of water and sewer bills. To participate, you must complete an authorization agreement for direct payment, which can be found on our Billing and Finances page. You can fax the authorization to the District office at (509) 926-7691 for processing. For additional information contact the District office.
Question: Where can I pay my bill?
Answer: You may pay your water and sewer bill at the following locations:
- At the District office at 22510 E. Mission Ave during regular business hours; 8am to 5pm
- By mail using the remittance envelope
- The District office night drop box
- Drop box located at the Liberty Lake Safeway Banner Bank
Question: Can I pay my bill after hours?
Answer: Yes you may pay your bill after hours. To pay your bill after hours, drop your payment and remittance envelope in the District's night drop box. The District's night drop box is located outside of the District office northside doors. When facing the doors, the drop box is located on your left.
Water
Question: Where does my water come from?
Answer: Your water at Liberty Lake comes from the Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. An aquifer is a saturated underground rock layer with enough available water that it can be pumped out or flow from the ground as a spring. The Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer was formed during the last ice age, 12,000 to 20,000 years ago, when massive floods spread across northern Idaho and eastern Washington. The Spokane floods occurred when an ice dam holding back 500 cubic miles of water in Glacial Lake Missoula broke; waters raced across the land dropping sands, gravels and boulders. Scientists believe these floods may have occurred dozens of times. The aquifer lies below the land surface of 325 square miles of northern Idaho and eastern Washington, and is the sole source of drinking water for the region's 500,000 people. The aquifer is composed of glacial outwash (sands, gravels and cobbles). It is extremely permeable, high in groundwater velocity and susceptible to contamination. Coeur d'Alene Lake and the Spokane River contribute about one-third of the water flow in the aquifer. Precipitation contributes another third. The lake watersheds of Pend Oreille Lake, Spirit Lake, Twin Lake, Hayden Lake, Hauser Lake, Newman Lake, and Liberty Lake provide most of the additional flow to the aquifer. At the Idaho/Washington border, total flow is estimated to be 750 cubic feet per second, or 485 million gallons per day. The movement of water particles ranges from less than a foot to almost 50 feet per day, as it flows west from Idaho to Washington. The depth to the water table varies from 450 feet in Idaho to only 50 feet at some points in Washington. Water discharges from the aquifer into the Spokane River via springs just west of Spokane.
Question: Is the water safe to drink?
Answer: YES, we are proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all Federal and State requirements and although we have learned through our monitoring and testing that some constituents have been detected, the EPA has determined that your water IS SAFE at these levels. To keep you informed of your drinking water quality, the District also provides an Annual Water Quality Report. You may view these reports under our Consumer Confidence Report page.
Question: Why do I have high water pressure?
Answer: If you have high (higher) water pressure, it is most likely attributed to elevation. In order to maintain reliable water service we have to maintain a specified pressure (minimum of 40psi) at your water meter. Residences at higher elevations may experience lower pressure, and residences at lower elevations may experience higher pressures. However, all water meters must be maintained at a specified pressure rating by the District to ensure a constant flow of service.
Question: Why do I have low water pressure?
Answer: See above question "Why do I have high water pressure?"
Question: Why do I have no water pressure?
Answer: The Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District has a highly reliable system and you should never experience this problem. If you experience this problem, please contact the district ASAP; it could mean that there is a service line or main break in your vicinity. However, in rare occasions during extreme cold winter conditions, this problem could mean that your water meter or service line has become frozen. To insulate your meter and help protect it from freezing, the District provides meter blankets free of charge during the winter months.
Question: How do I check for leaks?
Answer: A pinhole size leak will loose nearly 10 gallons per hour. A dripping faucet that fills a cup in 10 minutes wastes 3,280 gallons per year. Water customers are encouraged to review winter water billings for excessive water consumption. Leaks in service lines, toilets, faucets, meters and irrigation systems could result in water overages. To check for water leaks in your home or business, first check the toilets and sinks. Toilets that don’t completely shut off and faucets that drip are wasting water. Another method to check for leaks is checking the water meter. Each meter has a detector wheel on the face. If all the household water is off, the wheel should not be moving. If the small wheel is turning on the meter, there could be a leak either in the house or in the service line to the house. Leaks can occur in the service lines between the meter and your house.
Question: Why can't I turn my water off?
Answer: In the event of an emergency the District should shut off your water. If your emergency is severe and we cannot get to you timely, then you should locate your main shut off valve to your house and turn the water off. If that effort fails, your water meter valve can also be turned off. Your water meter is most often located in a meter fault in front or side of your house.
If you have an emergency during normal business hours call (509) 922-5443. If your emergency is not during normal business hours, call our after hours emergency number at (509) 623-7920. District operators are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Question: Who is responsible for the water meter?
Answer: The District provides your water meter and you are responsible for its care. The District provides free of charge meter blankets to protect your water meter from being frozen in the winter months.
Water Reclamation Facility
Question: What happens to the sewage after it leaves my house?
Answer: Your sewage once it leaves your toilet will flow by gravity (in most cases) to a collection system that will eventually take it to the Water Reclamation Facility located on Harvard Avenue. Once at the treatment facility, your sewage water will be treated to State water quality standards before it is eventually discharged to the Spokane River.
Water Conservation
Question: Why do we need to conserve water?
Answer: What is water conservation and why do we need to conserve? A recent study indicates that the consumption of water from the Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer is approximately 89,000 gallons per person per year. This is water consumption from all uses including irrigation. The aquifer is the sole source of drinking water for nearly 500,000 people in Washington and Idaho. Every public well has a water right attached to it. The water right specifies the amount of water that can be withdrawn in a given period of time. The water right cannot be exceeded. A water right is issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE). The DOE is not issuing any new water rights from the aquifer until the results of a bi-state study of the aquifer is completed. To complicate the picture even more, the aquifer is a source of water for the Spokane River. From the Idaho State line to Flora, the river recharges the aquifer. From Sullivan Road downstream, the aquifer is recharging the river. Check it out by comparing the amount of water in the river at Harvard Road and again at Sullivan Rd. You will notice a several hundred cubic feet per second difference in the flow. Therefore, when we conserve water it helps not only the aquifer but also the river. The most important water conservation measure is proper lawn irrigation. Other water conservation measures include fixing leaks in faucets and toilets, and fine-tuning irrigation controls. The District also provides at no cost low flow showerheads and toilet dams. For more information on water conservation and fine-tuning irrigation systems contact the District.
Question: How much water do I need to apply to my lawn?
Answer: As stated in the above question, the most important water conservation measure is proper lawn irrigation. Lawns in this area only need 1” per week. You can measure how much you are irrigating with a tuna fish can placed on the grass when watering. When the can is full, the 7-day limit has been reached. Calculate the time it took to fill the can and set your automatic sprinkler system to provide the 1-inch per week. The time of watering can be divided into several days of the week. Adjust watering during rainy periods. It is recommended to water between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. to reduce water loss by evaporation. Watering to a depth of 4 to 6 inches encourages deeper, healthier root development and allows longer periods between watering. Water rates at Liberty Lake are based on 240 gallons per day consumption. Water use in excess of 240 gallons per day is charged a premium rate. Keep hoses in good condition to save water.
As part of the LLSWD water conservation program, the District is offering free landscape irrigation audits to help irrigated properties correct equipment problems and reduce overall landscape irrigation. Audits involve testing system operations, distribution tests to determine efficiency, generation of monthly irrigation base schedules, and recommendations for changes. Irrigation systems might be inefficient if they sprinkle sidewalks, streets and driveways; sprinkler heads are not sized properly; timers set for excessive watering; high evaporation from ineffective sprinklers; leaks in the system, etc. Landscaping changes may also provide additional reduction in water use, especially changing to drip irrigation for shrubs and trees.
Question: How much fertilizer should I apply to my lawn?
What kind of fertilizer should I use on my lawn?
Answer: If you must fertilize, do not use phosphorus compounds! The soils at Liberty Lake have adequate phosphorus naturally. So if you must fertilize, and for the protection of the lake, aquifer and environment, fertilize with care. A common rule of thumb for fertilizing Washington lawns is no more than 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square foot per year. The plants will not use anything in excess of this. How do you compute the amount of nitrogen in a bag of fertilizer? Generally, there are three numbers on the fertilizer bag, i.e. 21-0-0. The first number is the percent of nitrogen (N), the second number is phosphorus (P), and the third number is potash. It is the second number, phosphorus, that can find its way back to streams, rivers, and lakes causing aquatic growth. Try to find fertilizers with zero phosphorus (P). It is recommended to fertilize lightly four (4) times per year using the holidays Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day as reminders. For a 1000 square foot yard, using a 50 pound bag of 21-0-0 fertilizer, each of the 4 applications would require approximately 5 pounds or a 2 pound coffee can filled ¾ full of fertilizer. Buying fertilizer can also be confusing. Fertilizer can be quick release (all Nitrogen (N) is released immediately) such as urea, ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate; slow release (nitrogen is released over a longer period of time) such as IBDU, sulfur-coated urea and ureaform; and “bridge” type fertilizers (a mixture of quick release and slow release products). Always apply fertilizer according to the manufacturers recommendations. Excessive use of fertilizer will not be used by the plants and tends to migrate to ground and surface waters. Hire a professional if possible and insist on phosphorus-free fertilizers. Ask your local distributor to stock phosphorus-free fertilizers.
In an effort to reduce pollutants that contribute to algae blooms and water quality deterioration, the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District is discouraging the use of lawn fertilizers that contain the element Phosphorus within the watershed of Liberty Lake. Phosphorus is one of the key elements necessary for growth of plants and animals, however phosphorus can cause environmental impacts if an excess of phosphate enters the waterway. This condition is known as eutrophication or over-fertilization of receiving waters. The rapid growth of aquatic vegetation can cause the death and decay of vegetation and aquatic life because of the decrease in dissolved oxygen levels. It is recommended that a person not apply fertilizer containing the plant nutrient phosphorus to turf within the watershed of Liberty Lake
Lake Protection
Question: Why is the lake so green?
Answer: Blue-green algae are bacteria that grow in shallow, warm, slow moving or still water such as fresh water lakes, ponds and wetlands. Their scientific name is cyanobacteria but they are more commonly known as pond scum. They are photosynthetic bacteria, which means they need light to survive. The first known species were blue-green in color, which is how the algae got their name. The bacteria can range in color from olive-green to red. When the conditions are favorable (hot, calm weather), most often in July and August, the numbers of algae can increase dramatically. This can create large numbers of blue-green algae called blooms. When the blooms rise to the surface of the water, they cover the surface of the water and can look like thick pea soup, often blue-green in color. Blue-green algae multiply quickly in lakes with high nutrient levels. Some species of blue-green algae do not need much of the nutrient nitrogen present in the water because they take in nitrogen from the air to grow. These “nitrogen-fixing” algae actually increase nitrogen levels in the water. Lower levels of the nutrient phosphorus in the water usually limit growth of these blue-green algae. Therefore, reducing phosphorus levels in water bodies is the most effective means of preventing blooms of nitrogen fixing blue-green algae.
Another problem with blue-green algae is that they are capable of producing toxins. Not all blue-green blooms are toxic, and even blooms caused by known toxin producers may not produce toxins or may produce toxins at undetectable levels. However, it is not known what triggers toxin production. Toxic blue-green algae blooms may be harmful to pets and small children.
The most prolific blue-green algae in Liberty lake are Anabaena flosaqua a “blue-green” algae common in many lakes and rivers. Other algae species are Gomphosphaeria, Gleotrichia and Microcystis. The nutrients that support algae growth can come from fertilizer, stormwater runoff, ground water and sediments in the lake. All are difficult to control. For additional information, contact BiJay Adams at 922-5443 ext. 30
Question: Why is Milfoil bad for the lake?
Answer: Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), a non-native invasive species listed on the state noxious weed list, has been spreading throughout Liberty Lake’s perimeter since it was first discovered in 1995. Eurasian milfoil spreads easily because new plants and colonies can start from single fragments. Commonly found in shallow bays and along the shoreline, milfoil forms dense beds that can seriously impair the recreational use of a lake, reduce the availability of fish spawning grounds, outcompete beneficial native plants, and otherwise alter a lake's natural environment. Boats and boat trailers, water currents, wind, fishing gear, and other disturbances are all possible contributors to the spread of milfoil. When spreading and fragmentation occurs, new growth can rapidly follow.
Question: Why do you have to use herbicide to kill the milfoil in the lake?
Answer: Milfoil was first discovered in Liberty Lake in 1995. Milfoil removal was controlled by divers until 1997, when the infestation became too great to handle, then AquaKleen® Granular 2,4-D became the primary treatment. Each spring, aquatic weed diving surveys are conducted by the LLSWD to evaluate potential growth and effective treatment. 2,4-D treatments have occurred in sections of the lake where the infestation remains in the shallow shoreline areas of approximately 1 to 3 meters in depth. Because of its invasive nature, once Eurasian watermilfoil has infested a lake there is no known way to eradicate it. Lake managers can only seek to control it by integrating the most effective, economically feasible, and environmentally sound methods available.
Question: Why do I need a stormwater grassy swale?
Answer: When it rains, the rainwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants and flow into a lake, stream, river, wetland, or aquifer. This runoff water is called stormwater and in urban landscapes, the great expanses of impermeable asphalt and concrete surfaces prevent the water from seeping into the ground. Untreated stormwater flows into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water, and this polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals and people. The Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District has recognized the need to protect the lake and ground water from stormwater pollution and has adopted policies and guidelines for that purpose. Therefore, there are regulations within the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District and Spokane County to control stormwater pollution.
Grassy swales, like vegetated swales, are depressions (collection areas) used to filter and infiltrate stormwater from roofs, parking lots, sidewalks, streets, and other impervious surfaces. Swales are used to remove pollutants from stormwater before it reaches underground sources of drinking water. Stormwater enters swales through a designed conduit and infiltrates through the grass and soil. Pollutants in the stormwater are removed by the grass and soil in this infiltration process, helping to protect surface waters and the Aquifer from contamination. Drainage swales rely on the infiltration process, which is when water "soaks" into the ground and eventually recharges groundwater. Stormwater swales can be located around parking lots of local businesses, between sidewalks and curbs, adjacent to some residential homes and in some cases, situated on a tract of land within a subdivision.
Question: How do I get involved in protecting the lake?
Answer: Throughout its history, the Liberty Lake community has demonstrated its commitment to preserving the health and recreational quality of the lake and the environment. To support the process of watershed protection, the Liberty Lake Watershed Advisory Committee became active in 2001. This committee is now comprised of 29 members from various backgrounds, including watershed and community residents, scientific professionals, WSU personnel, and LLSWD personnel. Since its formation, some of these residents have volunteered to assist in distribution of educational materials, volunteer monitoring, newspaper write-ups and articles, the Watershed Watch biweekly newspaper advertisement, annual trash and dock clean up, beach and leaf clean up, monitoring the lake level and precipitation, Secchi transparency, water temperature, algae, and bird observations. Community participation has also been an integral part of the environmental protection activities undertaken by the LLSWD, including but not limited to lake protection, aquifer and groundwater protection, and the Spokane River.
The Watershed Advisory Committee usually meets on a monthly basis on the last Wednesday of every month. Meetings are scheduled to take place at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Administration Building. Meeting dates are scheduled and displayed on the Calendar page of this web site. There is no membership fee, and everyone is invited to attend meetings and/or be a member of the committee.
Question: Why should I not feed the waterfowl?
Answer: Fecally derived nutrients have the potential to enrich surface water and thus contribute to the process of eutrophication, the accelerated aging of lakes. There has been a significant number of papers published examining how nutrients from migratory bird populations can affect water quality and create human health problems. Even in small numbers, larger waterfowl like geese are likely to supply more phosphorus than any other outside source. Furthermore, defecation from waterfowl in public areas may create human health problems.
In an effort to protect the public’s health, reduce pollutants that contribute to algae blooms, and control waterborne parasites (such as swimmers itch), the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District is requesting no feeding of waterfowl, including gulls, within the district boundaries.
According to the No Feeding Policy, the recommendation is made that no person shall feed, cause to be fed or provide food for migratory waterfowl, non-migratory waterfowl, resident Canada geese, gulls, or domestic waterfowl on any land within the boundaries of the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District.
The No Feeding Policy will help accomplish the following: 1) Reduce the concentration of large populations of waterfowl in certain areas of the district, including the lake, parks, residential yards, and golf courses. 2) Reduce the concentrated defecation in areas of congregating waterfowl. 3) Reduce the number of birds suffering from physical complications related to nutritional deficiencies because of supplemental feeding from humans. Furthermore, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife do not encourage feeding of waterfowl and wildlife for these purposes.