Cascade Water Alliance (CWA) invites the public to an open house on Tuesday, May 16 to learn more about how everyone can help keep Lake Tapps Reservoir clean and healthy.

The open house is from 6 to 8 p.m. at North Tapps Middle School, 1320 178th Ave. E, Lake Tapps.

Lake Tapps is a recreational reservoir, especially for the homeowners who live along its shore, but it’s also a working reservoir owned and operated to eventually provide municipal drinking water to CWA members.

Neighbors are invited to come chat with Cascade staff, learn more about Lake Tapps sign locator program, ensure they and their families SwimSafe this summer and understand the importance of a well-maintained sewer system, natural yard care and more.

According to the CWA, every year nutrients from failing septic tanks and nutrients from residents’ lakefront fertilizers feed vegetation in the reservoir and can result in excessive algae, toxic algae blooms, reduced water clarity and stress on fish and wildlife.

Representatives from a number of agencies and organizations will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about ways to keep Lake Tapps clean and healthy.

Cascade purchased the 100-plus year old White River system and Lake Tapps Reservoir from Puget Sound Energy in 2009. Since then, Cascade has invested tens of millions of dollars to keep the reservoir infrastructure reliable and the waters healthy with milfoil control.

Learn more at cascadewater.org.