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Spring 2011 Newsletter**3/12/11 Update**Welcome to Vista Vu Water Users Association's newsletter. Our purpose is to keep you informed about important activities and projects that your Board of Trustees is undertaking on your behalf. Okanogan PUD raises Irrigation Power RatesNew power rates that go into effect immediately will have a dramatic impact on our costs of providing irrigation water. The Horsepower Charge has doubled, from $1/HP to $2/HP,and will increase to $3 and $4/HP in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The effect will be to increase our power costs by 12% this year, 22% next year and 33% by 2013 System Improvements Underway
Your Board has been working behind the scenes over the winter getting ready to start two major system upgrades. The Domestic system expansion was put on hold last Fall when the bids came in over the engineer's estimate and outside our budget. The work was re-bid this month with some tasks removed that will be completed using volunteer labor. The apparent low-bidder was Shannon Industrial, Coeur d'Alene, with a bid of $77,221, well within our budget. Pending our engineer's review of qualifications we expect to award a contract before the end of March and start work in April. The work should be completed in about two weeks. The Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) and related equipment to control the main irrigation pump have been installed in the irrigation pump-house. Butch Electric expects to complete connections to the power supply and pump motor during the next two weeks. We expect that the equipment supplier will program and test the VFD soon after the raft is put back in the river on Sat. April 2nd. and water becomes available. System start-up is set for Sat. Apl 16th. and we'll run for a full week to permit repairs to be made. After that we'll resume our normal 48 hrs on - 36 hrs off schedule.
We will complete installation of orifice plates this spring (Truitt's and Ostreich's). Expect some more fine-tuning to make small adjustments in flow rates. When the VFD is in operation you'll see virtually no variations in pressure and flow rates, regardless of who has turned their system on or off. Everyone will get their water right - nothing less, nothing more. Without volunteers to help with the routine as well as emergency work necessary to keep our systems running, the cost of your water would be significantly higher than it is. Every able-bodied owner is expected to contribute some of their time and energy to this community over the course of a year. If you can't do the physical work, those who can always appreciate someone bringing coffee and snacks to the work parties, running errands and helping with phone trees when emergencies arise. Our annual membership meeting is your opportunity to learn more about how your association operates and to express any concerns you may have. It is also the time when expiring Trustee positions are filled. Stu Skidmore's term as President expires this year and he has agreed to run for another term. Trustee Ken Vanderstoep is leaving for a teaching position in Mongolia in July and we'll need a replacement to fill his unexpired term. The Board thanks him for his service and good humor. For further information contact: Stu
Skidmore, President; Doug Marsh, Vice President;
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