Facts and tips on water usage and conservation are presented weekly by the City of Walla Walla, in partnership with Walla Walla Community College and the Union Bulletin during the months of May - September.

Precipitation and Moisture

Last July:  .06 inches for the month
This July so far:  .12 inches

Chinook salmon and steelhead return numbers

Fish numbers in the Walla Walla River counted at Nursery Street Bridge in Milton-Freewater, as of July 13, 2026, are: Spring Chinook, 558; Steelhead, 470.

Data collected by The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Department of Natural Resources; funding provided by Bonneville Power Administration.

Water Usage

For the second week of July, average water use by all city customers: 14.93 million gallons per day.

This time last year in July 2025, average water use: 15.08 million gallons per day.

Water Use Guidelines

For the week of July 6 – July 13, precipitation was 0.06 inches and turf grass in the area used 1.33 inches of moisture, according to WSU AgWeatherNet data. Home irrigators should have run spray-type sprinklers 4 times for 13 minutes and rotor-type sprinklers 4 times for 49 minutes. Calculations are based on average precipitation rates at the Walla Walla Community College weather station; please adjust for local conditions.

Yard Care and Water Savings Tips

• Most people in North America use 50 to 70 gallons of water indoors each day and about the same outdoors depending on the season. 
• Think of baths as an occasional treat and stick to showers. The average bath uses 35 to 50 gallons of water, whereas a 10-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead only uses 25 gallons.
• Indoors, 3/4 of all water is used in the bathroom.
• In the average home, the toilet accounts for 28% of water use.
• Running a sprinkler for 2 hours can use up to 500 gallons of water.

Additional Water Conservation Information

Contact the Water Division at 509.527.4380 if you have any questions.