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District snags low interest loan

The Point Roberts water district won preferential loan status with the state drinking water revolving fund, allowing the district to borrow $400,000 for system improvements at rock bottom interest rates.

“It would have to be done sooner or later and it’s just going to get more expensive down the road,” said district manager Dan Bourks. The district will pay 1.5 percent interest on a $400,000 loan, to be repaid over 20 years. Half the money will be used to upgrade disinfection equipment and procedures at the community’s primary water tank and half to install pressure reducing stations in low-lying areas.

“All the chlorination equipment needs to be revamped,” Bourks said of planned upgrades to the 2.45 million gallon tank. The district will also purchase a backup generator and install low-volume pumps to make sure the lower volumes of drinking water brought in from Canada in the winter are adequately disinfected. “It allows me to pump water at a slower rate so I can keep contact times up,” Bourks said. Improvements to the chlorination system are required by state water quality regulators.

Pressure reducing stations will drop water pressures in lower areas on the Point by half. Bourks said pressure in the water mains at Maple Beach and South Beach can reach up to 120 pounds. The pressure reducing stations will drop that down to an easier to manage 60 pounds. “It’s easier on our equipment and on the homeowners. You’ll see less leaks,” he said.

Bourks said the district would need to pay back approximately $20,000 a year to service the state loan. “We might have to raise rates by a dollar or two,” he said. “In any case they won’t go down.” .

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