Updated September 30, 2026.
Mason County PUD No. 1 finished major 2026 water work at Manzanita and Arcadia Estates, kept April 1 electric bills at a 3.0% increase instead of the board’s 4.75% authorization, and is pursuing federal dollars for grid and mainline work while FEMA-funded wildfire mitigation trimming starts along Highway 101 in October.
Through nine months of 2026, Mason County Public Utility District No. 1 has moved from “projects wrapping up” to completed rural water infrastructure in Union, steady post-April electric rates, and a full calendar of grant-backed electric work. Here is what still matters for customers and property owners as of September 30, 2026.
Manzanita Campus and Arcadia Estates: Completed Water Work
The Manzanita Water Storage Project and the Arcadia Estates system upgrade were both in close-out status at the April 14, 2026 board meeting. By May, the district held a ribbon-cutting for the new Manzanita Campus in Union: the Manzanita substation (energized October 2025) and more than 200,000 gallons of storage for the Union Regional Water System and Mason County Fire District 6 fire suppression.
Total Manzanita water construction funding reached $4.6 million. Rognlin’s Inc. of Aberdeen held the storage tank contract at $3,745,725, awarded in June 2025, with construction starting September 2025. PUD materials describe two 100,000-gallon reservoirs, a booster station, backup generation, and a draft hydrant for fire fills—financed through Washington State Public Works Assistance Account grant and low-interest loan support.
Arcadia Estates work— including Department of Health grant contract actions the board approved in late 2025— moved through the same busy water season. Staff continued water-system planning and additional rural projects (generators, reservoir coating, consolidations) through summer board cycles.
For Hood Canal and Union-area customers, the practical outcome is added storage and modernized rural water assets rather than deferred tank and main repairs. That matters for service reliability and for how lenders and insurers read rural utility risk—topics that overlap with local insurance and property visibility when you document upgrades accurately online.
2026 Electric Rates: Still 3.0% After April 1
Effective April 1, 2026, residential electric rates rose 3.0%. The basic monthly charge went from $45.86 to $47.26, and the energy rate from $0.09670 to $0.09960 per kilowatt-hour. PUD 1’s published 2026 FAQ used an 800 kWh household paying about $4.28 more per month before taxes as a reference point.
Wholesale pressure came from the Bonneville Power Administration: a 6% power rate increase and an 11.7% transmission increase for 2026. Most Northwest public utility districts pass part of that through.
PUD 1 held the local increase below its 4.75% cost-of-service authorization for the second straight year. Staff cited budget reductions and a $3.6 million FEMA grant applied to capital and a portion of labor costs. No additional electric rate change was on the district’s 2026 schedule through September; customers still on the April schedule should confirm current class rates at mason-pud1.org or (360) 877-5249.
Water Rates and Fall Electric Work
Water rates took a separate path. Effective January 1, 2026, PUD 1 implemented a 3.5% water increase— reduced from a previously authorized 5%— with the average meter basic charge moving from $65.63 to $67.93 across systems, again citing grant offsets in board materials.
On the electric side, the district’s homepage noted FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant-funded tree trimming along Highway 101 from Duckabush Road south, with contractor Kemp West starting October 5, 2026, plus danger-tree work on rights-of-way tied to the wildfire mitigation plan. That work supports the same grid resilience story as the district’s capital queue— relevant context in the broader Mason County business and infrastructure picture.
Federal Funding Still in Play
General Manager Kristin Masteller reported a $5.6 million Congressionally Directed Spending request to all three Washington congressional offices for mainline rebuilds, with selection tied to federal fiscal year 2027 appropriations. Separately, May 2026 board correspondence referenced a $1.14 million appropriation approved for the Jorstad Substation and Senator Maria Cantwell listing a $4 million FY27 CDS line for Hood Canal grid resilience work. None of that replaces earned revenue yet; it is pipeline funding customers should track through public board packets.
If you publish local utility updates for clients or your own operation, structured pages that answer rate and project questions plainly still earn citations in 2026—see what holds up in geo case studies and how an AI setup keeps facts tied to primary sources like PUD packets rather than rumor.
What Mason County Households Should Do Now
Confirm you are on the rate schedule that matches your service class (electric effective April 1, water effective January 1). If you own rural water-connected property, note completed Manzanita storage and Arcadia work in any insurance or sale packet when those upgrades touch your system.
Board meetings remain open to the public at 1:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 21971 N. Highway 101, Shelton (Potlatch). Packets post on the district meetings page. Customer appreciation events were on the 2026 calendar for September 25— check the site for any follow-on announcements.
Related coverage: For Mason County property owners, see PUD 1 Rate Change: What Property Owners Need to Know. For help reading your bill, see Understanding Your Mason County PUD 1 Electric Bill in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mason County PUD No. 1?
Mason County Public Utility District No. 1 is a customer-owned utility providing electric and water service in Shelton, Hoodsport, Union, and rural southern and western Mason County. It is governed by an elected board of commissioners and headquartered at 21971 N. U.S. Highway 101, Shelton, WA.
How much did PUD 1 raise electric rates in 2026?
Residential electric rates increased 3.0% effective April 1, 2026. The basic charge rose from $45.86 to $47.26 per month, and the energy rate from $0.09670 to $0.09960 per kilowatt-hour. That schedule remained in place through September 2026 barring a later board action.
Did PUD 1 raise water rates in 2026?
Yes. Water rates increased 3.5% effective January 1, 2026, with the average meter basic charge rising from $65.63 to $67.93. Staff reduced the increase from a previously authorized 5% using grant funding, mirroring the electric side’s below-ceiling approach.
What is the Manzanita Water Storage Project?
It is the water storage component of PUD 1’s Manzanita Campus in Union— more than 200,000 gallons of storage, booster facilities, and fire-support infrastructure completed in May 2026 after roughly $4.6 million in construction funding. It serves the Union Regional Water System and supports Mason County Fire District 6.
What federal funding requests is PUD 1 pursuing?
As of mid-2026 board reports, the district submitted a $5.6 million Congressionally Directed Spending request for mainline rebuilds to Washington’s congressional delegation and tracked separate appropriations activity, including a $1.14 million Jorstad Substation appropriation and Senator Cantwell’s posted FY27 CDS entries such as Hood Canal grid resilience funding. Awards depend on the federal appropriations process.
How do Mason County residents contact PUD 1?
Call (360) 877-5249 or (800) 544-4223, visit mason-pud1.org, or attend a public board meeting at the Potlatch headquarters. Outage reporting uses the same main line.
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