inside college station -- june 2011

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CITY OF COLLEGE STATION

• Useyourmicrowaveratherthanyourovenwheneverpossible.

• Resetyourwaterheatertemperaturebetween110and120degrees.

• Closeblindsandshadestoreduceheatgaininwindowsthatreceivedirectsunlight.

• Usecompactfluorescentlightbulbsandturnofflightswhennotinuse.

• Openwindowsandusefansinsteadofairconditioningoncoolerdays.

• Useexhaustfanstoremoveheatandmoisturefrombath,kitchenandlaundryareas.

• Checkweather-strippingondoorsandwindowsandreplaceorrepairwherenecessary.

• Wearlighterclothingandusefanstocirculateairforgreatercomfortwhenyouareathome.

Inside College Station* * * * * * * City of College Station * Home of Texas A&M University ® * College Station, Texas * * * * * * *

Summerwillsoonarriveandbringwithithighertemperaturesandhigherutility

bills.CollegeStationUtilitieswould like toprovideyouwithsometipsonhowyoucanreduce summer energy consumption aswellasloweryourutilitybills.

Hereareafewsimpleconservationtips:

• Haveyourairconditioningsystemcheckedbyatrainedprofessionaltoensurethatitisatitspeakoperatingcondition.

• Replaceyourreturnairfilteratleastonceeverymonth;moreoftenifyouhavepets.

• Keepyourthermostatatnolessthan78degreeswhileyouarehomeandraiseitduringextendedabsences.

• Installaprogrammablethermostatthatwillautomaticallyadjusttemperaturesforsavings.

• Doheat-producingtaskssuchascooking,laundryanddishwashinginearlymorningsorlateevenings.

June 2011

Saving

ENERGY could save you

MONEY

Learn more at:

cstx.gov/utilities

• Plantlandscapingtohelpblockthesuntoreduceheatgain.

• Learntoreadyourelectricandwatermeterstohelpmonitoryourdailyusage.

Forfurtherenergyconservationassistance,schedule an on-site energy audit, whichare available to College Station Utilitiescustomers at no charge.Anenergy auditrevealshowandwhereenergy iswastedin your home, and provides methods toreduce overall energy consumption andenergycosts.Call979.764.3724tosetupyouraudittoday.

For more information, call 979.764.6274orvisitcstx.gov/utilities.

Energy Conservation/Rebates 979.764.3724

Wind Watts/Wind Power 979.764.3535 cstx.gov/ucs

e-Bill Sign-up 979.764.3535 cstx.gov/ucs

e-Payments 979.764.EPAY (3729)

epay.cstx.gov

Credit Card Payments 979.764.3535

24/7 Utility Dispatch 979.764.3638

fromsamplesthroughDecember31,2010,and the source of these substances. If acontaminant was not detected or testedfor, it isnot included in thereport.This iswhy you won’t see some drinking watercontaminants,suchasarsenicorendocrinedisruptors,inCollegeStation’sreport.

The2010reportwillbemailedtomorethan30,000 College Station water customers.The project is paid for through thewaterfund,whichreceivesnorevenuefromsalesor property taxes. The fund is generatedfrom water and wastewater rates, alongwithservicecharges.

Notreadytobuyahomeyet?Applytotheprogram and get one-on-one homebuyerand credit counseling tailored to you andyourneeds.

To apply for down-payment assistance,please go to cstx.gov/housingassistance,visit us at 1207 Texas Avenue, or call979.764.3778.

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July 2011Drinking Water Quality ReportHave you ever wondered where yourwatercomes from,or justwhat is inyourtap water? If you’ve ever found yourselfponderingthoseandotherdeepquestions,besuretocheckyourmailboxthismonthfor the latest issue of College Station’sannualDrinkingWaterQualityReport.

AspartoftheSafeDrinkingWaterAct,theUnited States Environmental ProtectionAgency (USEPA) wants to make certainthateverytapwaterconsumerinAmericahas information on the water they drink.Everycommunitywatersystemisrequiredby law to provide its customers with adrinkingwaterqualityreport,alsoknownasaConsumerConfidenceReport,byJuly1ofeachyear.

Whilesomeof the language in the reportis fairly complex, the bottom line is thatCollege Station’s water meets all federalandstatedrinkingwaterstandards.Nearlyevery day, College Station’s tap water istestedforcompliancewiththesestandards.Outof thehundredsof samples collectedfromthebillionsofgallonsofdrinkingwaterprovided last year, not a single sampleviolatedfederalorstatestandards.

ThereportdescribeswhereCollegeStation’swatercomesfromandhowit’streated,listswhat was detected in the drinking water

CITY OF COLLEGE STATION

See-Click-FixNew feature for reporting city issuesThe city has partnered with a third-partyprovider, SeeClickFix.com, to provide anonline application that allows citizens toreport code enforcement violations andother issues by flagging the location andtakingapicturewiththeirsmartphone.

Oncea reporthasbeenmade, individualscan track the status of their complaint,receive progress reports from city staffandcommentonothercomplaints. IssuescanalsobereportedandtrackedonlineatSeeClickFix.com/college_station for thosewhodonotownasmartphone.

“Wearealwayslookingforwaystoempowerourcitizensthroughbettercommunication,”Planning and Development ServicesDirector Bob Cowell said. “We encourageour residents to take an active role intheir neighborhood integrity through thistechnology.”

ThisapplicationisavailablenowforiPhone,BlackBerry and Android phones. Simplydownloadtheapplicationbysearchingfor“SeeClickFix”onyourphone’sAppstore.

For more information, contact VenessaGarzaat979.764.3570orvgarza@cstx.gov.

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Down-Payment AssistanceBuying a home? Let us help!Recently, City Council approved a changeto the City’s Down-Payment AssistanceProgram.Thisisgoodnewsforyou!

Now,15%ofthepurchasepriceofaCollegeStationhomeisavailableforincome-eligiblehomebuyersthrougha0%interest,deferredloanwiththeCityofCollegeStation.

Inside College Station June 2011 {PAGE 2}

events coming in July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

July 4City offices will be closed for Independence Day. Garbage, brush, bulk and commercial waste will be collected as normal. The Monday recycling route will be collected on Monday, July 11.

July 13Town Hall Meetingwith Councilman Jess Fieldscstx.gov/calendar

July 18Neighborhood Seminar SupperRSVP by July 15Topic: “Recycling” by Heather Qualls, Recycling Coordinatorbmoore@cstx.gov

July 20Exploring History Lunch LectureRSVP by July 18Topic: “Brazos County Media”by Robert Bordenaboykin@cstx.gov

events