As summer nears, let’s celebrate the wonderful world of water
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 10, 2023
By Snohomish County PUD
We are lucky to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country here in the Pacific Northwest. With an abundance of trees, mountains and perhaps the most important natural resource on the planet: water.
It’s not just the stuff that rains down on us throughout the year. The PUD actually started as a water utility in 1946. Almost 80 years later, our Water Utility serves more than 23,000 customers, primarily in Lake Stevens, Granite Falls and other communities in Snohomish County. We take great pride in our water quality and testing to ensure the best product for PUD water customers.
This week is National Drinking Water Week, and we know the importance of reliable, healthy water to our communities. But water is not only a refreshing drink — it’s also a major tool to help power our world. Across our region, hydropower generates enough average energy to power 14 million households. Almost half of the homes in the Northwest are powered by hydroelectricity.
As summer begins, it’s a great time to celebrate all water does for us. On average, 97% of the PUD’s energy is carbon free. In 2021, about 84% of our power came from hydropower. There are numerous benefits to hydropower, including less volatility than other sources of generating power. This helps up plan with predictable, manageable income and costs associated with hydropower facilities.
Due to the reliability and low operating costs of hydroelectricity plants, electricity bills in the Northwest are some of the lowest in the nation.
The PUD receives most of its power from the Bonneville Power Administration, which markets the power generated by hydro projects along the Columbia River. But the PUD also owns and operates a variety of smaller hydroelectric projects here in Snohomish County – and beyond.
Our largest hydropower generation system is the Jackson Hydroelectric Project along the Sultan River, just downstream of Culmback Dam and the Spada Lake Reservoir. The Jackson Project produces enough electricity to power more than 50,000 local homes.
In addition, the PUD has invested in small, low-impact hydroelectric projects in Monroe, Sultan and the foothills above North Bend.
The PUD recently offered to host public tours at our Woods Creek Sustainability Center and Hydropower Project in Sultan to celebrate Hydropower Appreciation Day on May 20. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response, with all spots quickly filling up.
If you missed out, don’t worry! There will be more opportunities to tour the facility in the future. And, in the meantime, you can watch a virtual tour of the project at vimeo.com/snopud.
We are truly lucky to get to live in such a remarkable part of the world. Next time you find yourself outside and stuck in the rain, just remember how important that water falling from the sky truly is!
Water conservation
Water is one of nature’s most valuable resources. Here are some tips for conserving water at home this summer. For more tips and information, visit snopud.com:
• Don’t run water in the sink while shaving, brushing your teeth or lathering your face and hands.
• Plant native plants suitable for the Puget Sound climate. Native plants require less care and no supplemental watering.
• Upgrade your old 5-gallon toilet to a water-saver version that uses only 1.6 gallons per flush.
• Make sure to repair leaks in fixtures, pipes and toilets immediately. A leaky faucet can waste gallons of water per day.
