Commissioner's
Corner
Don Miller
Proper prior planning prevents poor
performance. The Commissioners and employees at the District have taken
proactive steps to provide for an adequate supply of water and for
well-managed treatment of wastewater. We have excellent employees who work
hard to provide water/sewer services to you. Over the past few years, we
have planned for, received, and put into operation many large generators
which keep our water tanks full and guarantee the flow of wastewater to the
treatment plants in the event of a power outage. When the lights went out
during the windstorm of December ’06, our customers had water and sewer
service as a result of the use of our generators. And the District just
received the last few generators needed to back-up sensitive areas. They
will be distributed when necessary.
In addition, the District’s planning
efforts include coordinating with the State, County, City, Fire, schools,
hospitals, and Red Cross to provide emergency services to all who live in
our community. Security is important and one problem we are currently
experiencing is the theft of copper cable from public land. If you notice
any unauthorized activity in a public area, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
Moving on to another topic, this is the
time of year to enjoy your yard and outdoor activities in the great
northwest! Several years ago, the District introduced Xeriscape gardening,
which is a method of landscaping that emphasizes water conservation. The
basic premise is to have native plantings or trees that cast shadows across
your garden to reduce the need for heavy watering (It is usually best to
water in the early morning). Also, you can use hanging Fuchsia and Geranium
baskets to help drip water and fertilizer to the flowerbeds below. And
soaker hoses will help apply water directly to the roots of your plants.
Lakehaven Utility District has a
reasonable amount of water available so that you can feel free to water all
summer, but please use it wisely. Because of prudent, long-range planning,
the District has a plentiful supply of water. I hope you enjoy your yard and
garden this summer. And be sure to visit the District’s water conservation
demonstration garden as featured on the front of this newsletter.
It is a great pleasure to serve you!
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DISTRICT CAUTIONS AGAIN!
Lakehaven Utility District was informed
in April of two instances where homeowners in the District’s service area
were contacted by a man who drove to their residence claiming to be a
representative of a company called “Central Relocation Services”. He stated
that he worked under contract with Lakehaven and asked to access their
backyards and/or homes to check water, sewer, and electrical services. The
District is not associated with this company.
Additionally, three customers reported
receiving phone calls from persons identifying themselves as representatives
of Lakehaven Utility District notifying them that their credit card
information had not been accepted. The caller asked for more credit card
information. While the District accepts credits card payments over the
phone, it does not initiate contact with customers by phone requesting
credit card information. We ask that if you receive such a call that you do
not give out any information concerning your credit card/s. District staff
notified the Federal Way Police of these events.
If you are contacted by a person
representing himself or herself as a District employee, please do not let
the person in your home until you have checked their identification. All
District field employees wear uniforms consisting of a green shirt and blue
coat, both of which bear the District’s logo. These employees also carry a
Lakehaven Utility District picture identification card, which consists of
the employee’s name, picture, and the District logo.
District employees generally do not need
to enter a home, unless requested to do so by the customer. If a dye test or
water shut off is to occur, you should receive a door hanger or phone call
notifying you in advance. If you question whether a person, or persons,
claiming to be a District employee is actually a District employee, do not
allow the person or persons into your home and call Lakehaven Utility
District Customer Service at telephone number 253-941-1516 or 253-927-2922.
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WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN
The Lakehaven Utility
District Water Conservation Garden was constructed to serve as a
demonstration garden to promote outdoor water conservation.
In conservation landscaping, the primary
goal is to reduce the amount of water applied to the landscape. It may take
up to three years to adapt a new or transformed landscape to a minimum of
applied water, but with careful planning, it’s quite possible to reduce or
completely eliminate the need to supplement natural precipitation. Doing so
will save you time, money, and help protect the environment.
Please feel free to visit the garden
located in French Lake Park at 31531 First Avenue South, Federal Way,
Washington.
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BYO-GONE PRODUCT
CONTROLS WASTEWATER ODORS & COST
The wastewater department has
been participating in a trial study over the past 9 months with the addition
of a biological product called BYO-GONE PX 109. After favorable feedback by
operations staff, the product will be utilized in the collections system for
the next three years.
BYO-GONE PX 109 is a
biodegradable all natural biological stimulant at the cellular level. This
product promotes enhanced metabolic activity in the key bacteria in
wastewater that consume fats, oils, and greases. Fats, oils, and greases,
commonly referred to as FOG, are a constant nuisance in wastewater, causing
odors, plugged collection lines and odorous pumping stations. The addition
of this chemical actually begins the treatment of the wastes in the
collection systems before it reaches the headworks of the treatment plant.
The degradation of FOG and keeping the bugs active and healthy safeguards
the condition of the sewage by preventing it from turning septic and
producing byproducts, such as hydrogen sulfide gas.
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an
odorous gas that at lower levels smells like rotten eggs. H2S is corrosive
and can be highly poisonous and dangerous to work around. H2S by nature is
highly corrosive to most anything that it comes in contact with, including
stainless steel and concrete. The District has over 275 miles of sewers;
most made of concrete. The primary driver for replacement of these pipes is
internal corrosion of the pipe from H2S damage over periods of years.
BYO-GONE should extend the life expectancy of the pipes, thus translating
into potential savings in millions of dollars in rehabilitation costs.
Treatment plant operations during this pilot study have improved to the
point that the process air demands have been reduced by as much as 100 HP
for the aeration equipment during the winter months. The power savings in
running this equipment results in savings almost equal to the total costs of
chemical addition.
This project is in alignment
with the District’s proactive philosophy to utilize resources to control
costs long term, and to look out for the best interests of our ratepayers.
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WATER FESTIVAL
The 8th annual regional Water
Festival was held at Highline Community College on March 28th & 29th. The
Festival is held each year to teach students about water quality. This year,
71 students from Federal Way Elementary Schools attended the event and the
District paid for their transportation in addition to hiring a consultant to
teach some of the classes.
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SEWER RATE SURVEY
Staff conducted the following check on average monthly sewer
rates for neighboring agencies (from low to high):
The rates are monthly charges for a single family
residence using a base rate of 800 cubic feet (cf) of water per month. 800
cubic feet of water is the average residential use in the District.
*denotes flat rate (no consumption charge).
WATER FESTIVAL
The 8th annual regional Water Festival was held at
Highline Community College on March 28th & 29th. The Festival is held each
year to teach students about water quality. This year, 71 students from
Federal Way Elementary Schools attended the event and the District paid for
their transportation in addition to hiring a consultant to teach some of the
classes.
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WATER
CONSERVATION ACTIVITY
|
2007 Water
Conservation Calendar Cover Winner by
Sherwood Forest Elementary 2nd Grade Student |
Call 253-946-5446 if you would like a 2007 Water
Conservation Calendar.
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Your Board of
Commissioners
Beverly J. Tweddle - President
Don Miller -
Vice President
Ron Nowicki -
Secretary
Chuck Gibson - Commissioner
Ed Stewart -
Commissioner
Regular Board of Commissioners meetings are held
the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.
These meetings are held at the Lakehaven Center at:
Lakehaven Center
31531 First Ave. S.
Federal Way at 6 p.m. |
