Greetings to you all! The District just completed the biennial budget review and the news is very good. At this time we are trying to keep the rates stable. Thanks to the hot summer water sales, reasonable capital improvement projects, and overall operating efficiency, we should be able to maintain your water and sewer service at the same rates for 2005.

I inherited an attitude of “First Class Operation” from our old Water Manager, Bill Martin. He is a neighbor of mine and an early mentor in the utility. He always said, and I agree, “Customers come first!”

Some projects, like Oasis and Water Reclamation, take years of time to develop. They are coming along nicely and are being paid partially by our hard work in obtaining government grants and low interest public works trust fund loans. Please read the article on the Oasis project elsewhere in this newsletter.

District operations are more secure than ever. We implemented vulnerability assessments to protect our assets in the event of an emergency. We purchased several new backup generators to guarantee water and sewer service should a disaster strike the community. Last winter, when the power failed in the southeast portion of our District, the water supply was guaranteed for almost two weeks by an emergency generator at a well site in the vicinity.

Additionally, the District is installing filters in several District areas where wells are located to eliminate manganese, which is a harmless, naturally occurring element that causes black particles in the water at times. These filters will greatly enhance the water quality of the District’s system.

Speaking of water, you might be interested to know that the District will finally receive the long awaited water supply through Pipeline 5 from the Howard Hansen Dam at the headwaters of the Green River.

As always, please feel free to contact the District should you have any questions or concerns regarding your water and sewer service.

It’s great to be on a team that provides for today and plans for tomorrow.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The 2005 Legislative Session is fast approaching. The District is intending to focus the majority of its attention in Olympia this session on a bill to bring competition into the process through which engineering consultants are selected. The District introduced a bill in the legislature last session that would allow water and sewer districts to solicit cost information from engineering consultants proposing to provide engineering services to the district. The current law, which covers the selection of engineers, surveyors and architects by all public agencies, provides that price considerations can enter the hiring process only after the firms have been ranked in order of qualification and negotiations for a contract with the “most qualified” firm are underway. We believe that if engineering firms are required to provide this information with their statement of qualifications, the district would be able to consider cost in the selection among the “qualified” firms. This competition should result in better pricing of these services to the public.

Although the bill did not become law last year, we continue to believe that it makes sense for our ratepayers. We will, of course, continue to support other bills which advance the interests of our customers and are beneficial to the District’s operation of the water and sewer systems.

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DON’T WAIT – WINTERIZE YOUR PIPES!

Cool fall days will shortly give way to frigid winter nights. Freezing temperatures can cause the water in unprotected pipes to expand. If the water expands too much, the pipe bursts. Taking time to protect your pipes now can prevent costs and frustration when temperatures dip below the freezing mark. Following are some suggestions to prevent problems from occurring:

Outdoor Faucets: Disconnect garden hoses from all outdoor spigots. Find the shut off valve to pipes that feed outdoor faucets and shut them off. Then turn on the outdoor faucet, drain, and leave on through the winter. Irrigation systems: It is a good idea to hire a professional to “blow out” your sprinkler system. This removes water from the system, protecting pipes, fittings, and valves from bursting or splitting when temperatures drop.

Indoor Care: Whether you are at home or out of town, keep your house warmed to a minimum of 65 degrees. Temperatures inside walls are significantly lower than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees may not keep the pipes from freezing.

Plumbing: Get to know your plumbing system. Learn how to shut off the water. Having this ready will help in the event of a pipe freeze. Home improvement stores have many tapes, foams, and gadgets to keep pipes and faucets warm on cold winter nights.

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OASIS AND WATER RECLAMATION PROJECTS

With the second supply pipeline nearing completion, we are still looking over the horizon in terms of water resource management. Our Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project, also known as our “OASIS” (Optimization of Aquifer Storage for Increased Supply) project, is in the permit stage, following a long period of legislative changes and rule making that will allow the State of Washington to permit this type of project. Our permit application is only one of two being reviewed by the Department of Ecology at this time. The project is intended to allow us greater flexibility in managing water by storing available winter water underground for later use during the summer months. In addition, we continue to look for funding opportunities for water reclamation that will also aid in balancing the water resource needs for our area. We are pursuing development of a feasibility study to define a practical long term reclamation program that will recover discharges from our two wastewater treatment plants and supplement the water needs for our area. These needs include supplementing natural recharge, augmenting peak season demands, and enhancing environmental sites. The objectives of these long term projects will keep us a few steps ahead of the needs.

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2005 WATER CONSERVATION CALENDARS

The District held a water conservation poster contest last spring. Participants were students from the elementary schools in Federal Way. The winning posters were made into 2005 calendars and then sent back to the schools to be used for fundraisers. Some calendars will also be sent to Senior Centers in the area. The student’s poster that won first place is featured on the front of this newsletter and on the cover of the calendar. Thank you to all of the teachers who helped our children to understand the importance of water conservation. Calendars are available at the District for a $6 donation to the Water Conservation fund.

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MULTI-SERVICE CENTER FOOD BANK

Donation barrels will again be provided at the main office from the 1st of November through the end of the year for the Food Bank. Customers who visit the District are invited to make donations of especially needed items, such as canned goods, tuna, packaged noodles, dry beans, peanut butter, cereal, baby food and diapers. Your participation in this worthy cause will be greatly appreciated.

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WATER CONSERVATION TIP

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.

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KIDS CORNER – Federal Way Festival Days

Staff and volunteers participated in the Federal Way Festival Days Parade in August. The District’s entry was a “Toilet Brigade” comprised of toilets pushed on a lawn mower chassis. The brigade members performed a drill and on command hit a lever lifting a potty lid with a conservation message. A Potty Queen, Potty King, and Potty Princesses handed out Tootsie Rolls, Butter Fingers, and Baby Ruths from the potty bowls to the children along the parade route. This was a fun way to deliver the water conservation message to the community and we hope it was enjoyed by all! Watch for “Wayne Drop” next year.

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Your Board of Commissioners

Dick Mayer - President

Ed Stewart - Vice President

Beverly J. Tweddle -  Secretary

Tom Jovanovich - Commissioner

Donald L. P. Miller - Commissioner

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