Tag Archives: Patty Lent

Bremerton loses ground in annual ‘water pledge’ competition among cities

Bremerton may need some help to get back on top in the National Mayor’s Water Pledge Challenge, an annual competition that encourages people to take specific steps to save water and help the environment.

As usual, Bremerton started out on top in its population category when the contest began on April 1. The city held its own through most of last week. But now the city has slid down to number 4, which means that more water customers are needed to take the pledge. Go to My Water Pledge.

Bremerton has always done well in the competition, perhaps largely because of the enthusiasm of Mayor Patty Lent, who likes to see people conserve water and always wishes the city can come out on top in the competition. This year, a good showing in the competition would be especially nice, considering that Bremerton is celebrating the centennial of its unique water system.

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Bremerton drops from top city in Mayor’s Water Pledge Challenge

Bremerton remains a solid contender in the fifth National Mayor’s Water Pledge Challenge, which encourages people to become involved in water conservation.

At the beginning of this month, Bremerton started out in the contest ranked first among cities of similar size across the United States. Since then, the city has dropped to second, behind Andover, Minn. To get back into first place, a fair number of residents in Bremerton and the surrounding area will need to take the pledge for water conservation before the end of the month.

The pledge involves answering a series of questions about one’s willingness to save water, electricity and other natural resources. To enter, go to www.mywaterpledge.com. When finished with the questionnaire, one can enter a contest to receive some nice prizes.

In 2013 and 2014, Bremerton came in first in the competition among cities of similar size. In 2012 and 2015, Bremerton came in third. In all four years so far, Bremerton has ranked first among similarly sized cities in Washington state.

“Water is Bremerton’s remarkable resource,” Mayor Patty Lent said in a news release (PDF 139 kb). “I encourage all Bremerton residents to pledge to learn more about their water and energy use at home. This challenge, which runs through April, is an exciting opportunity to learn about water wise habits as we engage in a friendly competition with other cities across the nation to create a more sustainable environment.”

Seattle, which is ranked fifth among cities its size, is the only other city in Washington state to rank in the top 10. Olympia is 12th for its size. Port Townsend is 17th. Port Orchard is 74th. Poulsbo is 94th. Bainbridge Island is higher than 500th.

The water pledge, which is available until the end of April, is sponsored by the Wyland Foundation.

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Bremerton on top again in water contest called Mayor’s Challenge

UPDATE, April 23, 2015
Going into the last week of the National Mayor’s Challenge, Bremerton is struggling to regain the top spot. Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent has been encouraging people to take the pledge, and reminder cards are out at many businesses. Several schools are getting involved, according to Kathleen Cahall, Bremerton’s water resources manager, and a lot of people took the pledge yesterday at the Earth Day booth at Norm Dicks Government Center.
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UPDATE, April 12, 2015
Bremerton has slipped from first place to third place in the National Mayor’s Challenge, while Olympia has climbed from ninth place to seventh place. Seven of the 10 cites in Bremerton’s category are from California, as Kathleen Cahall, Bremerton’s water resources manager, pointed out to me. It’s probably not a coincidence that California is going through the worst water crisis in the state’s history.
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Once again, Bremerton is off to a great start in the National Mayor’s Challenge, a program sponsored by the Wyland Foundation to encourage people to conserve water and energy, reduce waste and do other conservation-minded things.

Bremerton

Bremerton won the challenge the past two years among cities across the country with populations between 30,000 and 100,000, and Bremerton is already running in first place this year. Olympia also is doing well in ninth place so far.

The challenge runs through April, and anyone can go to the National Mayor’s Challenge website, answer a list of conservation questions and boost the standings of any city you wish to support.

Each year, Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent and her staff make a special effort to get the word out about the challenge, and they must be doing something right. The major said in a news release:

“Water is Bremerton’s remarkable resource. I encourage all Bremerton residents to pledge to learn more about their water and energy use at home. This challenge, which runs through April, is an exciting opportunity to learn about water wise habits as we engage in a friendly competition with other cities across the nation to create a more sustainable environment.”

Prizes are awarded to selected individuals from the winning cities, along with daily prizes for anyone who enters. Top prizes this year are a Toyota Prius and a $1,000 shopping spree, but there are many smaller prizes. Last year, more than 40 Bremerton residents won a prize.

Besides Bremerton and Olympia, Seattle is the only city in Washington state to be in the top 10 for their size. Seattle is number 5 on the list of the largest cities (600,000 and over).

In Kitsap County, the other cities are: Port Orchard, ranked 46; Poulsbo, 263; and Bainbridge Island, over 500.

The video below shows support for the challenge from the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Bremerton leads in national water challenge

In the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, Bremerton is leading all U.S. cities with populations between 30,000 and 100,000.

water

The water challenge, sponsored by the Wyland Foundation, asks people to take a pledge to work for water conservation. Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent has embraced the national competition by talking about it often when she meets with community groups.

To take the pledge and boost your own city’s ranking in the competition, go to www.mywaterpledge.com and fill out a brief form.

Last year, Bremerton came in first among medium-sized cities in Washington state and third among those in the West.

“Water is Bremerton’s remarkable resource,” the mayor said in a news release. “I encourage all Bremerton residents to pledge to learn more about their water and energy use at home. This challenge, which runs through April, is an exciting opportunity to learn about water wise habits as we engage in a friendly competition with other cities across the nation to create a more sustainable environment.”

Kathleen Cahall, Bremerton’s water resources manager, noted that this year’s competition pits all like-sized cities in the country against each other. Last year, the first competition was regional. Now, there are five nationwide population categories instead of three for each region.

Bremerton has not done as much personal outreach on the project as last year, Kathleen told me, but the city has placed messages on city utility bills and in electronic news letters; on BKAT, the community access television station; and with flyers for students to take home at schools within Bremerton’s water service area.

“It really takes no effort for us to be involved,” Kathleen said, “and it is easy for our residents to learn about water-wise habits and pollution-prevention.”

A federal water-quality permit requires the city to do public education, and people can learn from the water challenge, she said.

As an added incentive, the contest awards prizes to random people who take the pledge.

The only other Washington cities currently in the top 10 are Seattle, which is eighth among cities with more than 600,000 people, and Sequim, which is tenth among cities with populations from 5,000 to 30,000.

Port Orchard is 14th among the 5,000-30,000 cities. Poulsbo is 119th and Bainbridge Island is 291st in that same population category.

Cities in Washington that ranked within the top 100 in their own population categories include Lacey, 15th; Bellevue, 19th; Tacoma, 42nd; Spokane, 48th; North Bend, 50th; Vancouver, 53rd; and Bellingham, 62nd.

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