PUD buys land, plans biosolid comments

Wahkiakum PUD commissioners discussed property acquisition, a proposed biosolid waste disposal site, and possible rate increases for water customers at their meeting on April 20.

PUD Attorney Tim Hanigan announced the PUD closed on their purchase of property formerly owned by the Lillian Havens estate last week, and stated he wanted to publicly thank the Parsons, owners of Indian Village Mobile Home Park, for their cooperation in resolving a property boundary discrepancy.

At an earlier meeting, the commissioners had authorized the PUD’s engineering firm to comment on possible drinking water repercussions caused by a proposed treated biosolid waste disposal site on the Zerr property, downstream of wells that feed the PUD’s Western Wahkiakum Water System in the Grays River.

Tramblie read aloud the conclusion of the engineering firm’s report, which stated that the likelihood of biosolid contaminants infiltrating the water system was low. The PUD commissioners had sent a letter to the Department of Ecology requesting a public hearing for area residents to provide comment, and a hearing is scheduled for May 3 in Rosburg.

The commissioners authorized Commissioner Esther Gregg to attend the meeting and to express the concerns she had heard from PUD customers.

The commissioners discussed possible rate increases for the Puget Island and Western Wahkiakum water system customers, but took no action. Tramblie explained that as labor and materials costs have increased and neither system has maintained reserve funds at recommended levels, he advises a $3.25 increase to the base charge for Puget Island water customers in July 2010 and an additional $1.70 increase in January 2011. He also recommended a $6 base charge increase for Western Wahkiakum water customers in July.

Commissioner Bob Jungers asked PUD Auditor Erin Wilson to provide projected balance sheets and profit and loss projections for the water systems at current rates and with proposed increases. The current basic monthly fee for Puget island water customers is $32.84. That fee plus average usage (623 cubic fee per month) totals $44.49. Western Wahkiakum water customers pay a basic monthly fee of $44.10 and with total average usage (718 cubic feet per month) pay $52.00 for their average monthly bill. No electric rate increases are proposed at this time.

The board will hold another rate workshop at the meeting on May 18.