Explore the wonders of the Skagit watershed with Letterbox Trail

Skagit PUD is once again joining with area environmental organizations and groups to hide "letterboxes" up and down the Skagit Watershed this summer. Letterboxing is a great way to explore the natural wonders of Skagit County while learning how to help protect our watershed.

Participants follow clues to discover hidden letterboxes, which include a journal (for stamping) and a stamp or stickers for participants to place in their own journal. In addition, participants collect a "magic word" to record at each site.

Stop by the PUD lobby or any public library for a list of Letterbox Trail clues. The Skagit Conservation Education Alliance Web site (http://scea.homestead.com/ltrbox.html) will also have information and clues available online.

A special celebration is scheduled for the end of October for everyone who joins the quest.

District Partners With EPA's WaterSense Program

Skagit PUD has teamed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) WaterSense program to help consumers save water for future generations and reduce costs on their utility bills.

WaterSense aims to decrease indoor and outdoor water use through water-efficient products and simple water-saving practices.

The program encourages customers to look for WaterSense labeled products, which have been independently certified for efficiency and performance, and promotes water-saving techniques that reduce stress on water systems and the environment.

"The goal of EPA's WaterSense program is to help Americans save water and money by offering simple ways to reduce water use through water-efficient product choices," says Sheila Frace, Director of the EPA Office of Water's Municipal Support Division.

"Using water more efficiently can help delay the need to create more supplies, saving communities money and resources, as well as ensuring that water will be available for future generations."

The average home, retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, can save 30,000 gallons per year. If one out of every 10 homes in the United States upgraded to water-efficient fixtures, it could save more than 300 billion gallons and nearly $2 billion annually.

"Skagit PUD is proud to be a WaterSense partner," said Kevin Tate, Community Relations Manager.

"We look forward to working with our customers to improve water efficiency awareness and promote WaterSense labeled products and water-saving practices inside and outside the home."

WaterSense labeled products must meet EPA's criteria for efficiency and performance. Independently tested and certified products may bear the WaterSense label, which makes it easy for consumers to identify and select a variety of quality, water-efficient products and services for their homes and lawns.

Touch-read meters for sale

Skagit PUD is replacing our existing visual and touch-read water meters with radio-read water meters. As a result we have about 6,000 of 5/8-inch Sensus touch-read water meters that are available for purchase, all manufactured between 1993 and 2007. We have bench tested a representative sample of them, which all demonstrated 98% or better accuracy. 

They are available for sale (where-is, as-is, no warranty expressed or implied) and pick-up at Skagit PUD's Mount Vernon office. They are boxed up (6 meters per box) and were capped upon removal from service earlier this year.

Pricing is as follows:

5/8 & ¾ inch Sensus SRII meters       $10.00 each plus tax
1 inch Sensus SRll meters                   $20.00 each plus tax
1 ½  inch Sensus Disk meters             $50.00 each plus tax
2 inch Sensus Disk meters                  $80.00 each plus tax

Please contact Scott Kilpatrick if you are interested at (360) 848-4441.