Manager’s Message – July 2021

Sign Up for SmartHub

Have you signed up for our online account management program called SmartHub? SmartHub allows you to easily view your current electric bill, make a payment, report outages, and view your use history on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. It takes only minutes to sign up and makes accessing your account easier than ever. Click “Register for Online Access” within the “Manage Your Account” box on the homepage to sign up today.

Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels

Summer is here. It is my favorite season and the time to get out on the lake to fish, water ski, or just enjoy a leisurely boat ride in the sun. If you take your boat out of the state, be careful before returning—the invasive quagga and zebra mussels are looking to hitchhike a ride to our pristine Idaho and Montana waterways.

These invasive mussels wreak havoc wherever they call home. They deplete nutrients in the water and upset the ecosystem. They also colonize on hulls of boats, recreational equipment, irrigation equipment, and hydroelectric power plant equipment. Once they move in, they are pretty much a permanent house guest.

How do you keep those pesky creatures from moving in? Clean. Drain. Dry. Clean any visible mud, plants, or animals from your boat. Drain all water from the motor, bilge, livewell, and other water-containing devices. Dry all areas of your boat and equipment.

To protect our waterways, watercraft inspection station programs focus on inspecting boats as they come across the state line. Inspections are free, but the cost of letting mussels through is not. According to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, it would cost Idaho an estimated $100 million annually if an infestation occurs. Inspection stations in Idaho have already intercepted 22 boats in 2021 carrying the invasive mussels.

I hope you are enjoying your summer in the beautiful Inland Northwest! And remember: Clean. Drain. Dry.

Annie Terracciano
General Manager