Lakehaven Utility District

It’s hard to believe that nearly ten years has passed since I joined the District’s Board of Commissioners in January of 1999.

Like most industries, the water and sewer utility business is constantly evolving. During my time on the Board, I have learned much about the way the District’s utility systems are constructed, operated, and maintained for the benefit of the many residential and commercial customers that rely on these services. I have also developed a high level of admiration and respect for the knowledgeable staff that manage and carry out the day to day operations of the utility.

Being an engineer by education and work experience, the physical infrastructure has always been a source of particular interest to me. The network of facilities that bring water and sewer service to your homes and businesses is both vast and complex. The need to plan carefully to keep these facilities in working order and to make the best use of new environmental technologies remains an ongoing challenge for the Board and staff alike. One of the Board’s primary jobs is to invest your rate dollars carefully in facilities that deliver water and sewer service to you in the most affordable and reliable manner possible.

In addition to gaining a base of knowledge about the physical systems, my experience on the Board has also helped me to develop a sense about what makes local government work best. I believe that an elected body can be most effective when each member is encouraged to bring their unique background and experiences to the challenge of local governance. In the District’s case, we have a board of five individuals with widely ranging backgrounds and life experiences. Some of us have been on the Board for a significant number of years, while others are fairly new. The blend of longer and shorter experiences with the District balances the benefits of consistency with the freshness that comes from new perspectives. Along with my background in marine engineering, we are fortunate to have an environmental and marine scientist; an electrical/mechanical engineer; a utility administrator, and a financial planner. Some of us have owned our own business, while others have worked for large companies and small and large public agencies.

I am convinced that our diverse backgrounds allow us to more effectively handle the job we have been elected to perform. Because each of us may view the same issue or circumstance in a very different manner, an open exchange of ideas cultivates a more informed collective decision. Of course, the decision-making process works best when Board members are free to vote their preferences without worrying about “stepping on the toes” of other members when casting a vote. The freedom to vote as we choose is fundamental to the deliberative process and results, I believe, from the willingness of the Board members to put the interests of the ratepayers first.

I think I speak for all when I say we are thankful for the opportunity you have given us to be of service to you. Have a great summer!

2008 Water Conservation Poster Contest Winners (Poster is on their T-Shirts)

First row from left:
Maya Z., 11, Alina A., 6, Katherine B., 9, Anna R., 10, Abby K., 8, and Jennifer T., 11. Second row: Mylee J., 9, Danielle R., 8, Hera L., 10, Nicole J., 11, Rose Michele M., 12, and Miriam P., 11. Back row: Lakehaven Commissioners Bev Tweddle, Ed Stewart, Don Miller, Bittia M., 11, City Council Member Dini Duclos, School Superintendent Tom Murphy, Director Ed Barney, and Commissioner Ron Nowicki. Missing from the photo is Alexis D., 12.

In 2003, the Washington State Legislature passed ESSB 1338, better known as the Municipal Water Law (MWL), to address the increasing demand on our state’s water resources. The law establishes that all municipal water suppliers must use water more efficiently by adopting a water use efficiency rule.

Through a public forum, the Lakehaven Utility District Board on October 25, 2007, unanimously approved setting the District’s goal for the WUE Rule as a 10% reduction in water use over a ten (10) year period (2000 – 2010) consistent with the current Memorandum of Agreement between the Second Supply Partners, the Department of Ecology, and the Department of Health. The District hopes to reach its goal by actively engaging in water conservation activities.

The average water use in the District in 2000 was approximately 261 gallons/ERU/day. A 10% reduction in this rate would equate to an average of approximately 235 gallons/ERU/day by 2010. An “equivalent residential unit” (ERU) is a unit of measure which is essentially the amount of water used by an “average” family residing in an “average” single family residence situated within the District’s water service area, if used uniformly over the year.

The District continues to include notification of the pending water and sewer system capacity rental program on the billing statements sent to commercial (non-single family) customers. Beginning in 2009, commercial customers using more capacity in the water and/or sewer systems than owned at the property will pay a rental charge for the excess capacity. The current billing statements show a customer how much capacity rent would be generated, if any, on their 2009 bill for the same period should water consumption remain at its current level. We hope that this notification will both alert customers to the new charge and give them some opportunity to change water use to avoid or minimize the rental charge.

Water your lawn no more than one inch per week. You can measure your watering by using a rain gauge, but if you don’t have one, use an old tuna can. When the can is full, you do not need to water the lawn again for one week. Call 253-946-5446 if you would like a rain gauge.

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WATER CONSERVATION EVENT

Red, White, & Blues Festival on July 4th at Celebration Park.

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Ron Nowicki - President
Chuck Gibson - Vice President
Ed Stewart - Secretary
Beverly J. Tweddle - Commissioner
Don Miller - 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: