How We Ensure Reliable and Safe Electric and Water Systems
Resilient Electric Service
We work proactively year-round to maintain the most reliable electrical system possible. To help prevent tree-related outages, we have replaced many miles of overhead transmission and distribution lines in heavily wooded areas with tree wire. Tree wire is wrapped in a nonconductive coating that helps prevent outages caused by limbs and branches on lines, and dramatically improves reliability in rural areas.
We also have a robust vegetation management program. Each mile of overhead line is trimmed every three years to help keep our equipment clear. It’s one reason Clark County often fares much better than other utilities in the area during extreme weather events. See a tree that needs attention now? Let us know here.
In some areas of Clark County, aging underground cable is buried directly in the dirt. It’s protected from wind and rain but can also fail and cause outages. To help prevent these issues, we inject silicone into the lines to extend cable life by at least 20 years.
Safe, Quality Water
Clark Public Utilities’ water supply meets or exceeds all state and federal requirements, and our top priority is to maintain an excellent level of quality in the water you drink.
We regularly test all our wells and distribution system to make sure our water is as pure as possible, adding only a trace of chlorine necessary to ensure it is free of harmful bacteria. We don’t add any other chemicals to the water you drink. Learn more about our commitment to water quality.
Improvement Projects
Clark Public Utilities invests in year-round system monitoring to identify and repair aging equipment in efforts to prevent outages before they happen. Because of these efforts, our electric and water systems are of the most reliable in the region.
Our crews and contractors work year-round throughout the county on equipment and system upgrades. Information about larger infrastructure projects may be listed below. If you received a postcard about work happening in your neighborhood, but do not see the project details listed here, please call our 24hr Customer Service team at 360-992-3000 for more project-specific information.
Location Considerations for Utility Equipment and Infrastructure
Investments in new equipment and large infrastructure are among the most significant decisions made by Clark Public Utilities on behalf of our customer-owners. Each project is selected and sited to benefit the greatest number of today’s customers while ensuring the resources are in place to reliably serve decades of growth in our communities.
New utility projects require years of careful planning and coordination with local, state and sometimes federal agencies to minimize the communal and environmental impacts while guaranteeing long-term reliability of critical electric and water services for the neighborhoods, businesses and schools that depend on them.
When identifying the best sites for new infrastructure, Clark Public Utilities engineers and planners rely on current local demand and projected regional growth along existing utility transmission routes. As critical service providers, utilities are generally allowed to site new resources where they are most needed (which can include residential areas) in order to meet customer load growth and demand.
During the planning process, utility infrastructure projects are reviewed by outside governmental authorities as part of the permitting process. The application and permitting process sometimes includes a formal public comment opportunity facilitated by Clark County; Clark Public Utilities customers are always welcome to submit comments, anytime, to [email protected].
As a nonprofit utility serving more than 235,000 electric customers and water to over 40,000 customers in unincorporated areas, our priority is reliable, adequate and safe service with seismically sound infrastructure. As we maintain and modernize our systems, every effort is made to minimize local disruption during construction and produce a site with lasting benefits to the surrounding community including thoughtful landscaping, safety and aesthetic improvements where possible.
Vegetation Management
Vegetation management plays an important role in maintaining the reliability of our system.