School Field Trips & Tours

Why visit? Many people take for granted the simple act of turning on a faucet and getting a cold glass of water. Discover how the drinking water supply is treated before being piped to 27,500 Skagit County homes and businesses.

Visitors to Skagit PUD’s Water Treatment Plant and Judy Reservoir learn about our water sources, plus coagulation, flocculation, filtration, and disinfection processes drinking water must go through before distribution.

The tour encourages an appreciation for our precious resources and inspires the adoption of conservation measures to protect our waters.

Request a Tour

Group tours are available upon request and availability. We lead about 20-25 school, community, and elected official tours annually. Spring is the most popular time for school groups, and the calendar can fill up quickly.

We also offer a “virtual tour” using Google Earth. The presentation includes videos and historical photos of Judy Reservoir being built in 1947.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When can I come for a tour?
Tours are available year-round, with a significant portion of the tour being conducted outside. Tours can be scheduled Tuesday – Friday between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

9:30 – 11 a.m. or 1:30 – 3 p.m.

How long will a tour last?

Large school groups visiting the Water Treatment Plant should plan for 1.5 hours. The tour includes the Water Treatment Plant, a visit to one of Skagit PUD’s four collector streams within the Cultus Mountain Watershed, and walking out onto a Judy Reservoir dam.

What age groups are appropriate for the tour?

The safety and content of the tours were taken into consideration for these age recommendations. The Water Treatment Plant is recommended for children aged nine (4th-grade) and up. The program focuses on an exploration of water’s role in our environment and society, with an emphasis on the importance of a safe and reliable water supply.

How many people can I bring with a group?

To ensure that a safe and educational experience is had by all, we must limit the group size visiting our facilities. The Water Treatment Plant can accommodate up to 30 visitors at one time.

Can groups receive an educational program along with a tour?

To enhance student learning, Skagit PUD is offering free to teachers The Story of Drinking Water Teacher and Activity Guide—a complete grade school curriculum on water.

This teacher’s guide provides 33 activities covering the hydrologic cycle, forms of water, water supply, water treatment, water distribution, conservation, weather, ecosystems, waterborne diseases, and more. The activities have been aligned with national Science Process Standards and Bloom’s revised (2001) Cognitive Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. All activities adhere to science curriculum, and many include math, social studies and language arts.

For classrooms that choose to utilize the curriculum, every student will receive a colorfully illustrated booklet of The Story of Drinking Water. Additionally, we include a classroom copy of The Story of Drinking Water DVD. The DVD makes learning about water fun and brings to life the materials contained in The Story of Drinking and The Story of Drinking Water Teacher and Activity Guide.

It is recommended that classrooms utilize the curriculum in advance of the Water Treatment Plant tour.

Do I need to bring chaperones with my school group?

We suggest at least one chaperone for every 10 students. However, there is no limit to the number of chaperones you may bring. Chaperones are expected to stay with their groups at all times, keep groups together and engaged, ensure safety, and maintain discipline. The Water Treatment Plant is a working facility and can be hazardous; therefore, it is important students are closely supervised during the tour.

What if it rains the day of my trip?

Tours at the Water Treatment Plant are conducted primarily outside. Please dress for the weather.

What should I wear for the visit?

Tour locations are primarily outdoors and involve a good bit of walking. Please dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather. No heels or open-toed shoes are to be worn on the tour. The tour requires walking across grated areas and heels or toes can easily catch in the grates and cause injury.

Can we eat lunch at the facility?

There is no inside eating space at the Water Treatment Plant. Groups are welcome to use the lawn area as long as they remove any trash when finished.

Is there a fee for taking a tour?

No. We are a public utility and visits to the Water Treatment Plant are free.

What if I am running late or need to cancel my scheduled tour?

If you are running late for your scheduled tour at the Water Treatment Plant, please call (360) 424-7104. If you need to cancel your tour, please contact the Community Relations office at

(360) 848-4477.

Are restroom facilities available

at the tour sites?

The Water Treatment Plant has a small restroom area and is available as needed.

Smile! Can we take your picture?

We often take photos to document field trips to our facilities. If teachers do not want their students photographed, please let your group leader know.

Where are the Water Treatment Plant and Judy Reservoir located?

The Judy Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant are located east of Clear Lake, two mile up Old Day Creek Road off State Route 9. Parking is available in the fenced lot of the Water Treatment PlanWhen can I come for a tour?

How long will a tour last?
Large school groups visiting the Water Treatment Plant should plan for 1.5 hours. The tour includes the Water Treatment Plant, a visit to one of Skagit PUD’s four collector streams within the Cultus Mountain Watershed, and a walk onto a dam at Judy Reservoir.

What age groups are appropriate for the tour?
The tour's safety and content were considered for these age recommendations. The Water Treatment Plant is recommended for children aged nine (4th grade) and up. The program explores water’s role in our environment and society, emphasizing the importance of a safe and reliable water supply.

How many people can I bring with a group?
We must limit the group size visiting our facilities to ensure that all have a safe and educational experience. The Water Treatment Plant can accommodate up to 30 visitors at one time.

Can groups receive an educational program along with a tour?
Skagit PUD offers free to teachers The Story of Drinking Water Teacher and Activity Guide — a complete grade school curriculum on water to enhance student learning.

This teacher’s guide provides 33 activities covering the hydrologic cycle, forms of water, water supply, water treatment, water distribution, conservation, weather, ecosystems, waterborne diseases, and more. The activities align with national Science Process Standards and Bloom’s revised (2001) Cognitive Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. All activities adhere to science curriculum, and many include math, social studies, and language arts.

For classrooms that utilize the curriculum, every student will receive a colorfully illustrated booklet of The Story of Drinking Water. Additionally, we include a classroom copy of The Story of Drinking Water DVD. The DVD makes learning about water fun and brings to life the materials in The Story of Drinking and The Story of Drinking Water Teacher and Activity Guide.

It is recommended that classrooms use the curriculum before the Water Treatment Plant tour.

Do I need to bring chaperones with my school group?
We suggest at least one chaperone for every 10 students. However, there is no limit to the number of chaperones you may bring. Chaperones are expected to stay with their groups at all times, keep groups together and engaged, ensure safety, and maintain discipline. The Water Treatment Plant is a working facility and can be hazardous; therefore, students must be closely supervised during the tour.

What if it rains the day of my trip?
Tours at the Water Treatment Plant are conducted primarily outside. Please dress for the weather.

What should I wear for a visit?
Tour locations are primarily outdoors and involve a good bit of walking. Please dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather. No heels or open-toed shoes are to be worn on the tour. The tour requires walking across grated areas, and heels or toes can easily catch in the grates and cause injury.

Can we eat lunch at the facility?
There is no inside eating space at the Water Treatment Plant. Groups are welcome to use the lawn area if they remove any trash when finished.

Is there a fee for taking a tour?
No. We are a public utility, and the Water Treatment Plant visits are free.

What if I am running late or need to cancel my scheduled tour?
If you are running late for your scheduled tour at the Water Treatment Plant, call (360) 661-7373. Please get in touch with the Community Relations office at (360) 848-4477 if you need to cancel your tour.

Are restroom facilities available at the tour sites?
The Water Treatment Plant has a small restroom and is available as needed.

Smile! Can we take your picture?
We often take photos to document field trips to our facilities. Please inform your group leaders if you do not want students photographed.

Where are the Water Treatment Plant and Judy Reservoir located?
The Judy Reservoir and Water Treatment Plant are located east of Clear Lake, two miles up Old Day Creek Road off state Route 9. Parking is available inside the fenced area of the Water Treatment Plant.