Water Conservation

$450+ BILLION DOLLAR

INDUSTRY/YEAR

Outdoor recreation is a booming industry, bringing in over $450 billion dollars a year in the U.S, as of 2021. From boating, fishing, swimming, ecotourism, etc., healthy watersheds not only bring revenue to our economy, but also create over six million jobs nationwide.

$132K

SAVED PER YEAR

The City’s park and street trees provided a plethora of benefits to our community, from carbon sequestration, energy savings, and social and economic health. Another great benefit, is that they reduced storm water runoff by 12 million gallons per year, which is equivalent to over $132k dollars/year saved from being treated at the water and wastewater treatment plant.

$37.2 MILLION 

SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

In 2019, a bond was approved to invest in water infrastructure improvements for the City, total of $37.2 million dollars, for completion by 2024. Over 50% of the water systems were leaking at the time of the City acquiring the utility. The water main replacement program is already underway, along with other infrastructure improvements, to ensure the system is operating peak efficiency for customers.

56.75%

MODERATE DROUGHT

Missoula County shifts  between an abnormally dry to severe drought status, depending on locations of residents and time of the year. The City of Missoula, is currently moderately dry, at over 56%. Moderate drought classification states that there is some damage to crops/pastures, increased fire risk, low reservoirs/wells, and even water shortage. With climate change, this can worsen our status and put our community in increased danger.

CARAS PARK

STORMWATER INFILTRATION GALLERY

In 2017, a hydrodynamic separator was installed under Caras Park to pre-treat stormwater runoff from the downtown area, while removing large debris and pollutants. As of January 2022, an infiltration gallery was also installed to improve upon the current system. The function of the system is to treat the first half inch of runoff, which often contains the most contaminates (e.g., oil, grease and bacteria). The new system increases the water quality of the river, and the health safety of recreationists.

REDUCED SNOWPACK

While our perception has stayed relatively consistent, our hotter weather is resulting in more precipitation in the form of rain rather than snow. Mountain snowpack is essential for part of the water cycle, allowing water to be stored for irrigation, drinking water, hydro-power, etc. Reduced snowpack also affects streams and rivers irrigation potential and decreases the ability of the planet to cool down, as the reflective snow typically reflects 80-90% of sun’s energy back into the atmosphere.

CLARK FORK COALITION

Established in 1985, the Clark Fork Coalition, as been the sounding ground for protecting for waters of the Clark Fark basin and ensuring that these wasters are clean and healthy for people and wildlife. They host volunteer events, workshops and cleanups to get community individuals and business engaged with protecting and preserving the Clark Fork basin.

MISSOULA VALLEY AQUIFER

Missoula Valley resident’s sole source of water is from the Missoula Valley Aquifer. This aquifer was created over 12,000 years ago, and local streams and the Clark Fork River recharge the aquifer with annual snowmelt and rainfall. The aquifer is susceptible to contamination and availability of drinking water. Missoula Water provides a guide on storm water pollution, household hazardous waste disposal, and conservation measures to keep our aquifer healthy and safe for future generations.

FUTURE INVESTMENT

BY CONSERVING WATER TODAY

Water efficiency not only saves money, but it also sets up our future generations to have an ample and safe quality water. The process to treat water for our daily activities is very energy intensive. For example: running a faucet for five minutes is equivalent to a 60-W bulb running for 14 hours. The EPA has a great resource guide to allow individuals to make an impact for their community, by addressing leaking pipes/faucets, outdoor care, purchasing of water efficient equipment, and more.