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Fall 2010 NewsletterGreetings! Domestic System Expansion and Arsenic RemediationThe engineering design and contract documents were finished in September and the project was put out to bid. At bid opening on Oct. 6 we were surprised by higher bids than either we or the engineer had expected. The apparent low bidder failed to acknowledge an addendum to the bid documents, creating a situation where it would be difficult to avoid challenges had we accepted either of the two lowest bids. On the advice of our attorney we rejected all bids. We will re-bid the project in January with some scaling back of the scope of work to be contracted. Irrigation System Variable Frequency DriveWork has begun on the installation of an automated controller for our main irrigation pump. Some sub-standard - and unsafe - above-ground electrical power wiring must be replaced with underground cable in conduit to bring our pump-house into compliance with the Electrical Code. Your Board contracted for excavating the ditch, removed a clump of trees and installed the conduit. Okanogan PUD will install a new pole, relocate transformers and pull underground cable as soon as our electrical contractor has installed the new service entrance. A Favorable State Supreme Court OpinionEarlier this month the State Supreme Court handed down an Opinion in Lummi Nation v. State of Washington that affects us in a beneficial way. Small water systems like ours with 15 or more connections will be able to distribute water anywhere within their service areas just as a municipality can. We will no longer be limited to just 25 connections, nor restricted as to where they may be installed. Further, we will be able to lease domestic water to downstream users for either replacement of interruptible supplies or for project mitigation. Raft RemovalLast Friday, Nov. 12, we removed the raft from the Okanogan River and have it stored on land until we need it again in the Spring. Over the winter months we'll be repairing the fish screens and having the machine shop resurface the river pump impellers. Domestic Rate IncreaseWhile your Board does not enjoy passing on a rate increase, we do need to step up the domestic rate $10 per month starting Jan 1, 2011. This rate increase will be used to repay our DWSRF loan. Your January billing will show a new rate of $50/month - still below what most small water systems in the county charge their customers. For further information contact: Stu
Skidmore, President; Doug Marsh, Vice President;
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