In the Pacific Northwest, and especially in Kitsap County, we are blessed with an abundance of water. “But that doesn’t mean it is unlimited,” said KPUD’s Water Resources Manager, Joel Purdy. As a hydrogeologist trained at University of Washington and Western Washington University, Purdy maintains the databases for Kitsap County with information on water supply, rainfall, and stream flows through precise tracking and measurements.
While Purdy, born and raised on Whidbey Island, admits there is plenty of water in Kitsap County, sometimes the water extracted isn’t necessarily where people live. So developing and maintaining a regional delivery system has been a vital part of KPUD’s mission for the last 30 years. The location of the county can be challenging in part because of the rain shadow cast from the Olympic Mountains to the west. Parts of the county receive 30 inches of rain a year, while other areas receive more than 80 inches of rain.
“We are constantly looking at the inputs and outputs of the water resources. The outputs include pumping from wells and the stream flow out to the Puget Sound. The input is the precipitation falling on Kitsap County and we measure the water levels in our aquifers for the storage component.” Purdy said. With over 50 water systems owned and operated by KPUD, they service all quadrants of Kitsap County.
In the summer months, KPUD still advises wise watering practices. According to Purdy, “In the summer there is real stress on the water systems and, while built for peak demand, the systems aren’t built for overuse.” In short, be mindful of your sprinkler systems and don’t over-water. It is better for the environment and keeps all Kitsap citizens’ water charges lower.
During the winter, some people find the rain to be depressing. Purdy suggests looking at it as recharging the aquifers versus just gloomy raining days. “And it maintains stream flow for the fish.”
There is a lot of publicity about water shortages in the Southwest and Midwest United States, but Kitsap County residents can feel confident that KPUD is acting as an insightful manager. “As purveyors in general, KPUD wants sustainable resources, so we watch how hard we pump and for how long to manage this valuable resource.”
Kitsap Public Utility District
kpud.org
BY LYNN CASTLE