INSIDE

Water, water everywhere
but not a drop to drink?

By Meg Olson

Point Roberts water district commissioners are still waiting to hear from state regulators about the possibility of additional connections, but they’re moving ahead with a long-term plan to secure more water and a more reliable system for Point Roberts.

At a special meeting January 26 commissioners signed a contract with the engineering firm of Hammond Collier and Wade to draft a new water system plan for the hefty price of $109,291.

“It has to be done,” said water commissioner Madeleine Anderson, whose statement was echoed by fellow commissioners Renee Coe and Sue Johnson at the January 12 meeting at which engineers presented their proposed scope of work. However, they did ask for two weeks to look over the proposal before signing it to see if other water districts were paying similar prices for similar plans.

Engineers Robin Nelson and Bill Reynolds explained that planning for the provision of drinking water was becoming more expensive as the regulatory burden increased. “You’ve had a changing regulatory environment in the past few years and it will continue to change,” Nelson said. “Water quality has become a pretty big issue for the state department of health (DOH) especially as far as source control is concerned. They’ll want to know how you’ll address the vulnerability of your sources.” He explained the state had more active water quality compliance rules than the Greater Vancouver Water District, which provides the Point with water, but that planned improvements could close the gap.

Nelson said 30 percent of the cost of the new plan for Point Roberts would be related to addressing special regulatory issues, including the need to develop a new source so that the state will allow enough water connections to meet the demands of growth.

An initial analysis of the system will guide planning for supply and system maintenance. “We’ll begin projecting for the next six years and then look out to 20 years,” Nelson said. “We’ll look to identify any deficiencies that may occur in the future so they can be addressed before they become a deficiency.”

The planning process will generate a capital improvement plan that addresses everything from water sources and treatment to storage and distribution. “Growth means more water and the capital improvement plan predicts how you will expand your source or better use what you have,” Nelson said.

If existing wells are used to increase the water supply, water will need to be treated and the district will have to look at the cost of building a treatment plant using technology like reverse osmosis. “It would be appropriate for briny or brackish water,” Nelson said. Using local wells might mean the need for regulatory changes outside of the water district.“You’ll have to look at protecting that watershed,” he said.

The DOH had also specifically asked for an assessment of the potential to use reclaimed water for irrigation, Nelson said. “They wanted us to look at any opportunities you had in conjunction with sewage treatment.”

District manager Dan Bourks speculated they could be looking at $25 million to replace aging water mains. “There have been a lot of problems this past year,” Bourks said. Nelson said the plan could phase main replacement to lessen the financial impact. “We can define areas to concentrate on based on age so you don’t have to do it all at once,” he said.

Once the capital improvement and operations analysis is complete the plan will turn to how to pay for it, combining information from a rate study now underway with the availability of grants and loans. “Once we know the projects that will include cost we will provide you with a funding strategy,” Nelson said.

Engineers hope to have a draft of the updated comprehensive plan to the state by the end of March with a final draft produced in response to department of health comments by the end of August.

After looking at long-term strategies, commissioners turned to the immediate problems facing the district, unanimously extending a moratorium on new water connections until July 20, 2006. “It can be rescinded,” said Anderson, if the state allows the district more water connections. “We’re hoping it will be,” Johnson added.

There were again questions from the audience about how the district would allocate the connections given the likelihood there were more applicants than connections available. “It should not be about luck,” said Katarina Hutchinson, rejecting the idea of a lottery system. Commissioners reiterated they would meet with the district’s lawyer once the number of allowable new connections was known to determine a legal and fair way to hand them out.

“Your concerns will be addressed through us, by him. It’s not going to be a one fix-all solution,” Coe said.