November 21, 2008

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Our goal at Marshall Municipal Utilities is to provide our community with clean, safe, reliable electric and water services. We are also committed to protecting our environment through many conservation programs, customer education, and by purchasing power from environmentally friendly generation sources.

Electric

Currently about 65% of our energy is being purchased through Heartland Consumers Power District from generation at the Laramie River Station in Wyoming, Cooper Station, a nuclear generation plant in Nebraska, and various other resources. The Laramie River Station is a coal-fired electric generating station located six miles east of Wheatland, WY. It is recognized as one of the most highly efficient, cleanest-operating electric generating stations technically feasible. The plant's sophisticated environmental control equipment, which cost more than $300 million, protects the land, air and water.

Laramie River Station itself was constructed for a cost of $1.6 billion and has a total generating capacity of 1,650 megawatts (MW).

Approximately 20% of our energy is purchased from Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). Western Area Power Administration markets and delivers reliable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services within a 15-state region of the central and western U.S.

The remaining 15% of our energy is purchased through Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) also from generation at the Laramie River Station along with various other resources. MRES is a joint-action agency with 60 member communities in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

RiverWinds

Marshall Municipal Utilities has teamed up with MRES to offer our customers the opportunity to purchase renewable energy through our RiverWindssm wind tag program. Customers now have a choice to purchase wind tags in 100 kwh blocks for an additional $2 per month on their utility bill. By enrolling in RiverWindssm, customers can do their part to help reduce the amount of fossil fuels used in generating electricity, and help conserve our resources for future generations.

For more information about RiverWindssm, you can visit their website at www.riverwinds.biz or, to download an enrollment form, click on the following link: Riverwinds Enrollment Brochure

Tree Planting Program

Each spring following Arbor Day, Marshall Municipal Utilities offers our customers the opportunity to purchase a tree for only $1 as part of our Tree Planting Program. Trees make our town a great place to live. They shade our homes, increase property value, and make songbirds and other wildlife a part of our daily lives. Trees also prevent soil erosion, reduce greenhouse gas levels and help conserve energy. Just three trees planted to shade a home can reduce air conditioning bills by up to 50 percent. In the winter, trees break cold winds and reduce heating bills. Plant a tree and be good to the earth and to your utility bill too.

Water

Odd/Even Sprinkling Schedule
Each year on Earth Day, April 23rd, MMU's odd/even sprinkling schedules goes into effect. This schedule helps conserve water and balance out the demand on our water filtration plant. If the last digit of your house number is an odd number, you may water on odd numbered calendar days. If the last digit of your house is an even number, you may water on even numbered calendar days.

Conservation Tips
  • Little leaks add up in a hurry. A faucet drip or invisible toilet leak that totals only 2 tablespoons per minute can add up to 15 gallons per day. That's 105 wasted gallons per week or 5460 gallons per year that you are paying for! Check every faucet in the house for leaks. Don't wait to fix a drip.


  • Don't let the water run when you brush your teeth, wash your face, or shave. You will use at least one gallon per minute and most of it will be wasted. Just use what is needed and save the rest.


  • Water Effectively! Don't sprinkle grass lightly, deep-soak it! Light watering doesn't get water deep down into the soil. In fact, it can damage your lawn. A good soaking gets to the "root" of the problem by encouraging deep, solid root growth. Lawns with deep root growth are more drought-resistant and less prone to winterkill.


  • Does your toilet have a secret leak? You can test it by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Don't flush for 15 minutes. If the colored water shows up in the bowl, the tank is leaking. The water you are paying for is going right down the drain. Get it repaired immediately to save water and money!


  • Water ONLY when your lawn needs it. Water only when the grass or plants show signs of needing it. To test whether or not your lawn needs a soaking, step on the grass. If it springs back up, you don't need to water. If it stays flat, it's time to water again. Give it a good drink early in the morning on your next day to water. (Remember to follow the odd-even sprinkling schedule.)


  • Morning is the best time to water...and the earlier the better. As the sun rises, so does the mercury. After about 10 am, heat steals moisture from your lawn through evaporation. When you water EARLY, you can water LESS because more of the water is absorbed into your lawn. You save time and money when you water at daybreak.


  • Mulch planting areas. Mulch covers open areas with tasteful good looks, helps keep the ground from overheating, holds moisture that would otherwise evaporate, and discourages weed growth.

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