You've all heard about the diminished snowfall in the Cascades this year, and how some irrigation districts are only receiving 73% of their normal amounts of water.  Well, now add some new restrictions.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought state of emergency recently for this upcoming summer, and that has prompted officials in Benton and Franklin Counties to come up with a plan they believe will help save thousands of gallons of water.

Starting May 1st, code enforcement officials will be going door-to-door to ensure that water reservoir levels in household and apartment toilets are set to a certain level.  They will be lower than the normal factory settings, but officials say it will add up.

Just how to officials plan to do this? By making small sharpie pen marks inside the reservoir, which is located on top of the toilet. It's where the water comes from to allow the unit to do it's business.

The code enforcement officials will be called the Benton-Franklin Reservoir Water Preservation Unit. A check of county websites shows they're not yet added to the roster, but officials expect details to appear on the county sites soon.

Information will be mailed to homeowners and apartment dwellers about approximate times and date enforcement officials will be stopping by to being the water saving inspections.

 

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