PUD discussesalternate sourcefor PI water system

Wahkiakum PUD Board of Commissioners discussed water rights and future projects when they met November 6.

Manager Dave Tramblie reported on the completion of the Puget Island Water System Sanitary Survey. He discussed with an engineering firm about finding an alternate water source for Puget Island. He said they told him that attaining water rights on a well field would take less time than procuring it from a ground source. It would take a minimum of 10 years to attain from a ground source because of all the bureaucracy and red tape involved.

Commissioner Larry Reese questioned Tramblie if perhaps there were some old wells to take ownership of, and Commissioner Esther Gregg said she doubted they were transferable.

Reese suggested making an appointment with the Department of Ecology to gather facts and explore our options. Tramblie said he would look for more information in the future.

Reese said he wanted to look at water rights throughout Wahkiakum County and wondered if it would require a consultant. Gregg told the board that the Washington Public Utility District Association has a new attorney/lobbyist to pose questions to regarding water rights.

Tramblie said he was pleased that his crew got power restored so quickly after the October 18 windstorm that knocked out power to much of Puget Island.

The crew has been working to trim trees and will continue to do so for the rest of the year so as to avoid another power outage as winter storms arrive, Tramblie said.

Tramblie told the board the water department has a number of meter installations from years ago that are not on customer property, such as those

across the road from a residence.

“As soon as we can, we will relocate those,” he said.

The next Wahkiakum PUD meeting is November 20 at 8:30 a.m. The board will be holding the ribbon cutting for the Western Wahkiakum Water System the same day at 2 p.m.