Both water and sewer rates will be going up just prior to the first of the year. The increases are due mainly to federally mandated changes in regulations applicable to Lakehaven and other water and sewer districts as well.

Most of our water comes from various deep-water wells located throughout the District and current regulations allow us to pump water directly from the wells into the distribution system. New laws will require us to chlorinate all ground water before it reaches the distribution system. This requires that we install a chlorine injection system, along with chlorine storage, at each well site. This will result in an added cost for the water you receive; however, in the long run it will provide you a better product.

Changes are also taking place on the sewer side of the District. Currently, treated effluent, which is discharged into Puget Sound, contains chlorine that may potentially be harmful to sea life. Lakehaven, along with all other agencies discharging treated wastewater into the Sound, is required to use an ultra-violet (UV) system of disinfecting. This system will eliminate the need for chlorine and will be better for the environment since a chlorine residual in the effluent will no longer be discharged into Puget Sound. This new UV system will cost the District an estimated 2.8 million dollars.

These two changes, along with the ongoing capital improvement projects, create new revenue requirements, which dictate a rate increase of around 8%. While Lakehaven Commissioners work hard to keep your water and sewer rates as low as possible, these changes, along with the year to year cost of living increase, have forced us to raise the rates accordingly. 
Some of the Commissioners had a chance to tour the Howard Hanson Dam in November. The Howard Hanson Dam is the location where the Second Supply Pipeline will begin. The Second Supply Pipeline will serve many of the local water districts and cities with water from the Howard Hanson reservoir. The last section of the pipeline, which runs from Federal Way to Tacoma, is nearing completion. This section of the pipeline will be put into use first, pumping water to Lakehaven from Tacoma. This will supply Lakehaven with an additional firm source of water until the main section of the pipeline is complete.

Western Washington is once again being hit with heavy rainfall. Though it is hard to take day after day, just keep in mind that much of this rain is what we will be watering our lawns and washing our cars with on those dry hot summer days.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The District continues to work on legislation, which will require a city to seek the approval of a water/sewer district's customers before undertaking proceedings to assume the service jurisdiction of the district. Your Board of Commissioners is convinced that the ratepayers of this utility want to have a say in whether the responsibility for the provision of these essential public services will be transferred to the City of Federal Way, or any other city with jurisdiction within the District's boundaries.

As previously reported, the District is working on legislation which would provide that water purveyors storing water within the ground water system would retain a water right to remove and use the stored water. Also as reported earlier, indications from the Department of Ecology (DOE), the agency responsible for overseeing water rights in this state, are that the DOE may be interested in pursuing this legislative issue with the District during the upcoming session.
We will continue to keep you updated as the legislative session progresses and please, let us know your thoughts or questions on our legislative program.

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UV Disinfection at WWTP

As mentioned in Commissioner Jovanovich's article, the District will be installing (UV) Disinfection equipment at our Redondo and Lakota Wastewater Treatment Plants in 2000. The new disinfection equipment will replace chlorine disinfection of our treated effluent from our wastewater treatment plants. The installation of the equipment is in response to the Washington Department of Ecology's requirement that the District discharge treated effluent that contained no chlorine. After thorough review of the various options, the District chose UV Disinfection. The use of UV Disinfection is also a step in the District's plan to utilize reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and groundwater recharge when the need arises in the future. If you would like additional information on UV Disinfection please call 946-5405.

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NE Tacoma/Federal Way Transmission Project and Second Supply Project.

Lakehaven Utility District and the Tacoma Water Utility are nearing completion of the NE Tacoma/Federal Way Transmission Main Project, a nearly nine mile direct pipeline from Tacoma to the heart of Federal Way. With most of the pipeline installed, the $16 million dollar project is expected to be completed by the end of January. The most visible portion of the project still under construction is Lakehaven's flow control facility at 1st Way S under the Bonneville Power Lines, the terminus of this project.

Eventually the NE Tacoma/Federal Way Pipeline will become part of the Second Supply Project which will extend the pipeline from 1st Way S to Howard Hanson Dam in the foothills of the Cascades. The participants in this larger regional water supply project, which include Tacoma, Seattle, Kent, Covington Water District and Lakehaven, are very close to an agreement which will make Green River water available in South King and Pierce Counties. This regional project includes 33 miles of pipe, numerous fish and habitat enhancement elements, additional water storage, and as much as 65 million gallons of water a day for future use. It is anticipated that the agreement may be signed in early 2000, with construction completed in the year 2004.

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Unidirectional Water Main Cleaning

District staff is cleaning water mains in a different manner than has been done in the past by using a new program called "Unidirectional Water Main Cleaning". This program has been pilot tested by staff since late October 1999 and it is performed as follows. Fire hydrants and blow-off valves are opened on the water mains to create high water flows in one direction to scour and clean the inside of the water mains. District employees, via doorhangers, notify District customers that field personal will be flushing the water mains in the customer's area. When District crews are working in your area you may experience some discoloration, clouding, and/or sediment in your water. This condition is not harmful, is temporary and should clear up quickly. All reasonable measures are taken to minimize disruptions to your water service and to ensure the quality of water you receive. However, we request that you suspend any clothes washing during the main cleaning process so as not to risk any staining of clothing from discolored water. If you do experience some discoloration or sediment in your water, please run some cold water from a faucet in your bathroom tub and it should clear up in a few minutes. If the water does not clear up in a short time, please call Tim Speaks at (253) 261-7061 or Stan French at (253) 946-5410.

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Water/Sewer Rates

At the November 9, 1999 meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved an 8% increase in the monthly water and sewer rates. The rate increases are intended to cover the years 2000 through 2002 and are necessary to meet the cost of improvements to the systems mandated by regulatory requirements.

The new water and sewer rates will show on billings starting at the end of December 1999. Despite these increases, the District is pleased to continue to be able to provide customers with among the lowest water and sewer rates in the state.

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Leak Adjustments

The Board of Commissioners recently revised a policy providing adjustments for water loss due to leaks. Customers shall be eligible for one leak adjustment in a twelve-month period where leaks are repaired within 30 days following the discovery of the leak on their property and where the cost of the water leaked equals or exceeds $40.00. The customer must provide the District verifiable repair records, or other available information, to receive a credit on their water account equaling fifty percent of the charge for the water leaked. The water adjustment will be for a period beginning no more than sixty days prior to the discovery of the leak and ending when the leak is repaired. Adjustments shall not be made if the credit would be less than $20.00. For more information on this program, call Linda at 946-5424.

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Water Conservation Activities

The District will participate in the Chamber of Commerce Annual Trade Show at SeaTac Mall on Friday March 10, 2000 from 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. The District will also participate in The Rhododendron Species Foundation 2000 Spring Plant Sale located at the south parking lot at Weyerhaeuser Corporate Headquarters.

Friday, March 31, 2000 (3 p.m. - 6 p.m.)
Saturday, April 1, 2000 (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)

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Your Board of Commissioners

Beverly J. Tweddle - President

Donald L. P. Miller - Vice President

Tom Jovanovich - Secretary

Dick Mayer - 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.