As the regular readers of this bimonthly publication will undoubtedly be quick to recognize, the five members of your Board of Commissioners regularly take turns authoring the "Commissioner Corner" segment of the District's newsletter. I know contributing to the newsletter is viewed by all of us on the Board as a welcome opportunity to communicate to District customers, at least to those customers willing to pluck the newsletter out of our handsome billing envelope, our individual thoughts and perceptions about the activities of the District. Topics have ranged anywhere from the important matter of our ongoing "relationship" with the City of Federal Way, to our long quest for new, affordable water supplies. Looking back on past newsletters, I certainly must commend my fellow board members for the quality of their contributions to this vehicle of information to our customers.

I must admit that when I sat down to write this Commissioner Corner segment, I felt over matched by the task of mentally sorting through all that is occurring at the District and deciding what to include in the article. While there is no shortage of interesting topics to write about, I seem to have completely misplaced the normal sense of prioritization that allows one to readily make these kinds of choices. I know you are interested in water supply issues, our capital improvement program, rates and charges and even our new website. Instead of laboring over this preliminary consideration, I should have quickly been able to make a somewhat thoughtful choice and then move on to the headier task of communicating my thoughts on the matter.

In an effort to break free of this mental imprisonment, I carefully experimented, using only accepted scientific methodologies, with all of the contemporary '90's style remedies for dealing with these types of conditions; i.e. getting in touch with my inner child, blaming the legal profession, mega-vitamin supplements, herbal wraps; yet nothing seemed to help. That is, however, until my husband reminded me of something I should have suspected all along; I sometimes tend to take things too seriously.

The only cure for this condition, I am told, is simply to lighten up. No wonder drug or expensive psychic intervention would work for me. Perhaps, it was suggested, I could write about something in my Commissioner Corner article that struck me as humorous about my experience in the water-sewer business.

I must say that I had to think about this more than most people might. After some heavy and near-exhausting contemplation, however, I did recall a conversation from several years ago in which I was describing to a neighbor a sewer conference that I was planning to attend the next week. I mentioned that there was going to be presentations on, among other interesting topics, hydro-flushing of sewer mains, land applications of sewage sludge and the latest technology for treatment plant grit removal equipment. My neighbor, after hearing my cheerful description of the event, looked at me and uttered in mock enthusiasm: "Gee, are there any tickets left?".

I hope to return to regular business in my next Commissioner Corner, that is, of course, if I am permitted by my colleagues on the board to write another. Meanwhile, thanks for listening to this rambling and admittedly misdirected bit of public introspection. I feel better already!

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The District intends to continue the pursuit of legislation during the upcoming legislative session which will make the collective voice of the ratepayers of a special purpose water/sewer district the determining factor in whether a city may undertake proceedings to assume all, or a portion, of a district.

The District has also begun efforts to develop modifications to the existing water code. The proposed legislative would enable water purveyors injecting water into an aquifer for storage to hold a right to subsequently withdraw the stored water when needed to supplement regular supplies. This legislation, if successful, would greatly advance the ultimate implementation of the District's OASIS program, a project to store and recover available winter water in the ground for use during higher demand periods. As you know from previous newsletters, the OASIS program would, when fully operational, significantly expand the District's available water supply.

We'll keep you informed as the legislative season progresses. Please let us know if you have comments.

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WATER QUALITY

Water Main Flushing Program

District crews have begun to implement a new method of flushing and cleaning water mains that is both effective and a savings from our current method for our customers. The simple operation involves flushing isolated sections of water mains in one direction beginning at a source like a well site or a storage tank and continuing the operation downstream of each water main section until all of the system has been completely flushed. Distribution system flushing is one of the most powerful tools a utility can employ to maintain water quality as it travels through the distribution system. Annual flushing of the water mains scours and removes mineral scale, silt and trapped stagnant water that can cause poor water quality in the system.

All reasonable measures will be taken to minimize any disruption to your water service, and the quality of the water you receive. One advantage for our water customers is that there is no need for crews to temporarily shut-off your water during this main cleaning process. When crews are working in your neighborhood you may experience some discoloration, clouding, and/or sedimentation of the water. This condition is not harmful, is temporary, and should clear up quickly. If you experience some discoloration or sedimentation in your water after crews have flushed the main, please flow some water from your outdoor hose faucets [so as not to plug up aerators] and it should clear within a few minutes of flushing. We request, that when the District is flushing your water main, you suspend any clothes washing during the process so as not to risk any staining of clothing from discolored water. Before flushing your water main, the District will deliver door hangers to those living or working along the path where flushing will take place.
If you have any questions about this flushing program, please call Tim Speaks at (253) 988-7227 or Stan French at (253) 946-5410 or our main office at (253) 941-1516 during our normal workday.

Water Treatment Program

Although the District has historically been able to provide our customers with untreated high quality drinking water, federal regulations are changing the way we operate our water system. In compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, "Lead & Copper Rule," the District has begun to implement the construction of corrosion control treatment facilities for our water supply system. Water treatment facilities are anticipated to be operational in a portion of the water system as early as November or December of 1999, with the Year 2000 targeted for full operational treatment of the entire water supply.

Our water treatment program includes disinfection (using chlorine) of our groundwater supplies to meet a future upcoming Safe Drinking Water Act, "Groundwater Rule." Disinfection is also needed to avoid future water quality impacts associated with mixing unchlorinated District groundwater with purchased chlorinated water from other utility systems.

The process of disinfecting the District's groundwater supply can result in an increased potential for iron and manganese precipitation, along with customer complaints associated with discolored water and staining of clothes and household plumbing fixtures. To prevent water quality problems and the chemical reaction between chlorine, iron and manganese, the District will be treating its water with an ortho/polyphosphate agent for iron and manganese sequestering as well as an inhibitor for corrosion control. Introduction of caustic soda will also be used as an additional corrosion control treatment option and will be implemented on targeted low pH wells if deemed necessary, after a trial period using the sequestering agent.

Our new "Water Treatment Program" which utilizes techniques and chemicals commonly used in the water utility industry, is expected to improve the quality of our drinking water and enhance the protection of our customers' health by continuing to supply a safe source of drinking water at every household tap. If you have questions or are interested in more information about our Water Treatment Program, please call Stan French, (Water Quality/Production Engineer) at (253) 946-5410 or our main office at (253) 941-1516 during our normal workday. 

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NEW BILLING FORMAT

We are in the process of converting our Utility Billing System to be Year 2000 compliant. You will see a new billing format in November, which we trust will be easier to read and provide additional information. With your new bill you will receive information explaining the various components. If you have any questions, please call our customer service area at 253-941-1516. 

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Lakehaven Utility District and Tacoma Water celebrated the beginning of their NE Tacoma/Federal Way Transmission Main Project with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 16, 1999. The ceremony was held at the site of the future intertie between Lakehaven and Tacoma on 1st Way S and S 332nd St. Elected officials, media, consultants and staff from Tacoma and Lakehaven were on hand to witness the contractor's impressive first scoop of earth with it's "state of the art" 88-ton excavator. Beverly Tweddle, President of Lakehaven Utility District's Board of Commissioners, along with William Barker, Chair of Tacoma's Public Utility Board and Mark Robison, owner of Robison Construction Inc., the general contractor on the project, congratulated all those that have contributed to the implementation of this significant water supply project.

Although construction work on the $16 million dollar 5.8 mile pipeline project has been underway in Tacoma since May, construction within the District is scheduled to begin in September. The 1.9 miles of 60-inch diameter pipe to be installed within the District will follow the Bonneville Power Line corridor. The entire project is scheduled for completion before the end of the year.

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Your Board of Commissioners

Beverly J. Tweddle - President

Donald L. P. Miller - Vice President

Dick Mayer - Secretary

Tom Jovanovich - Commissioner

Ed Stewart -  Commissioner

Regular Board of Commissioners meetings are held at the Lakehaven Center at 31531 First Ave. S., Federal Way at 6 p.m.