Who is Water Whys?
Water Whys Irrigation is a woman-owned and woman-operated landscape irrigation company started in 2019 by Molly McDowell. After working in the industry for over 15 years, Molly recognized the need for a landscape company in Bend that focused on conserving water in landscapes and improving application efficiencies. Molly combines her background in landscape design and construction with plant layout/water needs and her excitement about healthy landscapes to provide unmatched irrigation service and positive client interactions.
The landscape and irrigation industry creates the perfect intersection of art and math for Molly and she loves the challenge of providing solutions for tricky sights and aging systems. Her work experience includes landscape design and construction, backflow testing, wholesale distribution of irrigation and landscape materials, irrigation troubleshooting, and teaching various landscape related classes. She graduated from South Dakota State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture emphasis in Landscape Architecture.
In 2024, Molly has grown her business and is excited to offer landscape design and consultation services in South Dakota as well as Oregon.
Molly has taught “Irrigation Basics” and “Drip Irrigation Basics” at Central Oregon Community college. Other classes and presentations have been held by request of The City of Bend, Crook County, The High Desert Green Industry Conference, Ewing Irrigation, Central Oregon Master Gardeners Association, and Living on a Few Acres Conference. Molly enjoys teaching and sharing knowledge with others, enabling her to offer unparalleled landscape and irrigation consultation services.
Oregon Landscape Professional #15251, LCB #9859
Oregon Woman-owned Business #14471
Oregon Landscape Contractor Board Member 2022 - present, 2013-2019, Chair 2015, Vice Chair 2018
Irrigation Association, Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC), #91460
EPA WaterSense Certified Professional (Irrigation System Installation & Maintenance)
Central Oregon OLCA Chapter Past President; 2020, 2012
“People don’t move here to become a gardener. And, people don’t move here expecting to do a lot of lawn maintenance either,” says Molly McDowell Dunston...”
Molly had the privilege of contributing to the following publications:
