In addition to continuing to make progress on important projects that will allow us to provide better water and sewer service to you, we were able to reach agreement in the early part of this year with the two labor unions representing District employees. With over seventy five employees represented by unions, collective bargaining establishes the wages, hours and working conditions for the largest segment of employees at the District. Under state law, collective bargaining agreements for public employees are limited to terms of no more than three years. Consequently, labor negotiations are a fairly frequent occurrence here, particularly where protracted negotiations extend bargaining into the contract term.

The nearly twenty clerical and technical employees at the District are represented by Council 2 of the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The previous collective bargaining agreement with this bargaining unit expired at the end of 2005. Formal negotiations between representatives of the union and management began in the fall of 2005 and concluded with the Board’s approval of the labor agreement, ratified earlier the same week by the union membership, on January 12, 2006.

To coincide with the expiration of the previous labor agreement at the end of 2004, negotiations with Local 21 of the International Union of Operating Engineers (“IUOE”), the union representing employees in field and plant operations, began in the fall of 2004. After reaching an impasse in negotiations during the first half of 2005, the District requested that a mediator from the Public Employee Relations Commission, the state agency that regulates public sector collective bargaining, assist with negotiations. A mediator was assigned and after considerable effort on all sides, a new agreement was approved by the parties in late March.

You may have seen articles in the local paper reporting on the slow progress of negotiations with the IOUE employees. You may also have noticed these employees from time to time standing along the street in front of the District headquarters waving picket signs. To some of you, this may have created the appearance that we were not negotiating in good faith with the bargaining unit. While reasonable minds may differ on what constitutes a “fair” package of wages and benefits, let me assure you that the District was, at all times, attempting to reach a fair contract with the union. Our silence during negotiations reflected a decision to maintain focus solely on the bargaining process.

We are extremely pleased to have concluded negotiations with contracts for both groups. The terms of the agreements balance our appreciation of the dedication and efforts of our fine employees with the interests of ratepayers, who are truly the “owners” of this business. Now that we have completed the agreements, we look forward to building on the cooperative spirit to better serve you.

Thanks for your interest in the District!

Deep below the Federal Way area lays a saturated sandy aquifer that Lakehaven Utility District exploratory well drilling discovered in 1987. Subsequently, the aquifer was given the title “Federal Way Deep Aquifer” and the District received a water right permit from the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) to make use of this new groundwater source. In the late 1980’s & early 1990’s, Lakehaven Utility District developed several wells in the Federal Way Deep aquifer but not all of the quantity of water available under the granted water right was able to be put to beneficial use. Recently, the DOE issued Lakehaven a permit to drill and test a new well in the Federal Way Deep aquifer that will help obtain the remainder of the available groundwater under the original water right permit.

Hydrogeologists believe a new well capable of producing 1,250 gallons per minute may be accessible by drilling into the Federal Way Deep aquifer. Drilling a small exploratory test well is the first task of this project and for this purpose “Well 33T” was started in February of this year. The Test well has been drilled to over 500 feet of the targeted depth of 1,100 feet and should be completed in May. Drilling Well 33T will be used to establish the depth at which the Federal Way Deep aquifer is first encountered and tests will be performed using this well to determine the production potential of the aquifer at this location. Geological information obtained from drilling and testing Well 33T will then be used to drill and complete the larger production well (Well 33) which is targeted for completion before the end of this year.

The purchase and installation of the new biosolids dryer at the Lakota WWTP is moving forward. Construction is expected to begin early this summer. The dryer, which will dry biosolids from both the Lakota and Redondo treatment plants to Class A biosolids standards, will also run primarily on biogas produced by the anaerobic digesters at the Lakota plant. This will make the plant more energy efficient while at the same time producing a higher-value biosolids product. District staff is also working to develop a marketing plan for the Class A product, and currently are researching collaborative efforts with the staff of Team TAGRO in Tacoma. TAGRO has a long-running, nationally recognized Class A biosolids program for the City of Tacoma.

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The District continues to move forward to replace and improve the outfall pipe and diffuser location for the Redondo treatment plant. The old pipe is at the end of its service life. The new pipe will also extend the outfall out an additional 1,030 feet (to a total of 2,500 feet from shore) and to a new depth of 400 feet. The distance and depth will ensure that the effluent is safely removed from potential impacts on shellfish beds and recreational water activities. Design is 60% complete, and the District is also progressing through the very complex permitting requirements. Construction is expected in the summer of 2007.

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It’s time for summer vacations and fun in the sun. When you are swimming, please remember to swim only in safe, guarded areas and never swim alone. Always use the buddy system. Rivers can be very dangerous, so it’s best to stay out of them. Have fun this summer and, if you can, take swimming lessons.

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TIPS TO SAVE & CONSERVE WATER

Your Board of Commissioners

Beverly J. Tweddle - President
Don Miller -  Vice President
Tom Jovanovich - Secretary
Vacant - Commissioner
Ed Stewart - Commissioner