Garfield Single Stream Recycling

The Town of Garfield will no longer be offering curbside
recycle collection. All items below that were collected
curbside can now be dropped off at the recycle shed in the large BLUE single stream recycling container from the county. Please place ALL accepted items into the large blue bin. Please remember NO PLASTIC BAGS allowed.

Drop Off Items:

• Newspaper - bundled please
• Magazines – bundled please
• Aluminum cans
• Tin/steel cans (no labels please and rinse too)
• #1 PETE beverage bottles (no caps please)
• #2 HDPE milk jugs (opaque only, no colored
  plastic, no lids please)

Garfield Drop Off Recycling

Drop Off Items

Yard Waste: (Located at west end of Main Street on Anderson Road): 

• Organic yard debris drop-off - grass clippings, branches, brush (24 hr)
• Leaves

Please put leaves, grass clippings, and garden debris
in the compost pile. Trees, branches, and brush go
in the chipping pile. 

Please no lumber or construction waste. Thanks!

Appliances/Metal/Used Oil: (Located at 5th Street and Front Street – brown metal building, behind concrete elevator.)

• Appliances (24 hr)
• Used oil drop-off (24 hr)
• Metal (24 hr inside fenced area only)

Water/Sewer Tips

• Know where the water shutoff valves are. Accidents happen, and when they happen to pipes or water heaters it is best to know how to shut the water off rather than dealing with a flood and a high water bill later.
• Insulate water pipes. By insulating pipes you will reduce the amount of water and time it takes for the hot water to reach the faucet.
• Keep drinking water in the refrigerator. This will reduce the amount of water that is generally wasted when waiting for the cold water to reach the faucet. It will also improve the taste by allowing chlorine and sulfur smelling molecules to evaporate.
• Turn the faucet off when brushing teeth or shaving.
• Limit shower time, a 5 minute shower uses as much water as a bath.
• In an older, high-flow toilet, place a water bottle full of sand or water in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water flushed with each toilet use. Do not use bricks for this- they can break down and cause problems in the toilet system.
• Turn off the water when not rinsing in the shower.
• Check and fix leaky faucets. A dripping faucet can waste 15 gallons of water per day. Faucets are easy to fix. For information on how to fix a faucet yourself please visit www.h2ouse.org.
• When cleaning out your fishbowl use the dirty water to water plants around the house. Not only will you conserve water, but you will also fertilize the plants with nitrogen and phosphorus in the process.
• Rinse dishes in standing water rather than running the faucet.
• Use the garbage disposal as little as possible. If it can go out with the trash, then send it. Better yet, compost your table scraps.
• Do not use the toilet as a trashcan- only flush refuse-related items. EVEN IF THEY SAY THEY ARE FLUSHABLE, THEY ARE NOT. NO TOWELETTES (moist or otherwise) PLEASE!!
• Run clothes-washers and dishwashers only when full.
• Check toilets for leaks. It is not uncommon for toilet flappers to wear with age. To test for a leak: place food coloring or a dye tablet in the toilet tank. Wait 10-20 minutes without flushing. If the dye seeps into the toilet bowl there is a leak, most likely from the flapper. A leaky toilet flapper can waste from 30 to 300 gallons of water per day.
• Leaky toilets can be fixed. For more information please visit www.h2ouse.org.
• For more information on indoor conservation please visit www.h2ouse.org.

For further information or assistance contact Public Works Shon or Mark, at (509) 635-1604.

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips

• Sweep sidewalks and driveways rather than spraying them clean with water.
• Check and fix leaky hoses and faucets. To find out just how much water is being wasted visit the WaterWiser Drip Calculator page.
• Don’t run the hose when washing the car. Instead try using a bucket of soapy water. Use the hose only to rinse.
• Cover pools and hot tubs when not in use to prevent evaporation.
• Drain outside spigots to prevent freezing in the winter.
• For more information on outdoor irrigation please visit www.h2ouse.org.

Tips on how to conserve water when gardening:

• Use native plants where possible. Natives tend to be more resistant to drought and provide better habitat for local wildlife.
• Water your plants during the cool part of the day. Watering in the morning or evening can reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation by as much as 30%. Morning watering is best since it helps to deter fungus growth.
• Remember to mulch around plants and trees. Mulching will retain soil moisture by slowing water lost to evaporation. In addition to conserving water, mulching also increases organic matter in the soil and discourages weed growth.
• Leave a little extra length on the lawn. Cutting the grass shorter than 2.5 inches increases the amount of water lost to soil evaporation.
• Aerate clayey soils. Clay soils have a tendency to absorb water slowly, as a result water can pool or be lost as run-off. Aerating clay soils once a year allows for better infiltration and less water waste.
• Use sprinklers that produce large raindrops. Larger raindrops are heavier and less easily influenced by the wind than smaller drops.
• If it doesn’t grow, don’t water it. Make sure your sprinklers are hitting the soil, not concrete.
• When watering, soak the soil. A light sprinkling of water does not allow for moisture to infiltrate into the root zone of the soil. In fact, much of the water from a light sprinkle is lost to evaporation. Deep watering also encourages deeper root growth. Typically, turf grass needs no more than an inch of water per week; this can vary depending on turf type and sun exposure.
• Arrange plants into similar water requiring zones. This makes automatic watering easier without compromising plant health.
• Healthier soils hold more moisture and give life to healthier plants. When establishing a new lawn, add a high-quality topsoil to retain soil moisture. In established lawns, add compost to keep and improve soil quality.
• Landscape with plants that do not require a lot of water, also known as Xeriscaping.

Water or Sewer Emergencies or Water Quality Questions

If you have a water or sewer emergency or questions concerning your water quality, please contact:

Click HERE for a copy of the town's 2019Annual Drinking Water Quality Report.

Click HERE for a copy of the town's 2019 Water Use Efficiency Report.

Garfield Branch -
Whitman County Library

Come Visit Us - We're Open:
Monday 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Wednesday 10 am - 2.:30 pm
Creative Fun at Story Time
Wednesday 1:00

Phone: 509-635-1490
Website: www.whitco.lib.wa.us

Librarian Sarah Anderson

UPCOMING EVENTS

17th Annual Food For Fines
February 1-28
Food Can Be Exchanged For Up
To $10 in Fines.
All Donations Go To the Nearest
Food Bank.

2019 Utility Rate Schedule

Click HERE to learn more about
the 2019 Utility Rates for town.