Voluntary Water Conservation Measures Requested

Posted Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Due to seasonal low water flow conditions in the Skagit River, the city of Anacortes and Skagit Public Utility District water customers are asked to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 10%.

The Washington State Department of Ecology has established minimum instream flows for the Skagit River. These minimum flow levels fluctuate throughout the year and are designed to protect fish habitat primarily.

Although every year is different, there are generally two times a year when we anticipate the Skagit River falling below instream flow levels — once in late winter/early spring and again in late summer/fall.

When the river falls below these prescribed levels, Skagit PUD and the city of Anacortes are required to provide public notification under a long-term water rights agreement signed in 1996.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

We are taking this opportunity to remind our customers that it is always prudent to conserve our resources, whether water or any other resource. Everyone can do their part in conserving this vital resource by voluntarily reducing their water consumption. We ask every customer to help by saving 15-20 gallons of water daily.

Here are some simple water-saving ideas you can use at home:

• Shorter showers — five minutes or less.
• Turn the water off when brushing your teeth.
• Let lawns go dormant in the summer.
• Water plants deeply and less often.
• Flush the toilet less.
• Fix leaks around the house.