Value of Conservation

Posted 01/28/11, by Skagit PUD

Think about water. It is yours for the taking, 24 hours a day. All you have to do is turn on a faucet. But where does it come from?

The water you use does not appear magically. It is carefully processed to be clean, safe, and piped directly into your home, a valuable resource that should not be wasted. The high-quality water that we need and expect in our homes is not an infinite resource. Conserving water benefits you and all those around you.

Besides, you are paying for every drop, whether it is used or wasted. So conservation can benefit your pocketbook, too.

Value of conservation.

For 2011, Skagit PUD’s commissioners elected not to raise water rates. By using water wisely, customers can also play a significant role in keeping potential future rate increases low.

Conservation efforts help us keep the cost of supplying water down because over the long term, conservation is a cheaper supply option than building new reservoirs and water treatment plants. Most of Skagit PUD’s costs are fixed and do not fluctuate when customers use a little or a lot of water.

The pipes and tanks still need to be maintained and main breaks still need to be fixed, regardless of changes in water use.

If customers did not conserve, rates could increase even more.