2022 Annual Water Report to Customers

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Commissioners

Matthew Crane, Krista Herling, Staci Huntington, Mike Schoenwald,
Barbara Walters

          Este informe contiene información importante acerca de su agua potable.
Puede que necesite un traductor para leerlo.

Except for holidays, the Water District Board meets on the first and third Mondays at 3957 Malaga Ave at 6:30PM.  We encourage you to attend. Your drinking water comes from a well field under downtown Malaga. If you live in this area, please help protect your water from contamination by NOT dumping oil, antifreeze, or other materials that would contaminate the ground water.   

The district tests your water every month for bacteria. In 2022 we had 2 bacteria test fail first in September then in November. Tests for other contaminates are also done yearly. See the results below.

The district still needs to add a new reservoir to prepare for growth, power outages, certain maintenance situations and to increase our firefighting capacity.

For more information about your drinking water or District activities, you are welcome to call our District Manager, Jon Johnston, at 664-0142.

If you have an emergency call 5509-664-0142 and follow prompts to get a person.

TEST RESULTS.  We tested for the following items in 2022. The results have been rounded off to whole numbers for ease of comparison. For more details call the office.

 

Item tested                         Our result                  Maximum allowed by the state and EPA (MCL)

Nitrate                                     4.09                                                     10

Gross Alpha                              .8610                                                   3

Radium 228                               .1890                                                  5

Volatile Organic                      See below *

Radium 226                               .0001                                                  5

Radium 228                               .0313                                                  5

Gross Alpha                             3.000                                                    3

 

*Volatile organic chemicals: if you need a copy of the results, call the office and we will get you one.             

Required wording by EPA:  Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminant. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe drinking water hotline at 1-800-425-4791. Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immune-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 100 is a health risk for infants less than 6 months of age. 

In 2022 we could not account for 3.83% of our pumped water. This may be because of unauthorized use or leaks.

In 2022 we found 3 water leaks. Leaks and unauthorized use of water drive up the cost of pumping, which is reflected in the rates you pay. The district is fully metered and unreliable meters are replaced every year to ensure accurate measurement of water used. 

RATES

Ideally, water rates pay for the costs of providing safe potable water to you. Rates cover items like electricity for pumps, monitoring costs, supplies, insurance, planning and engineering, taxes to the state, wages, maintenance and repairs, reserves for emergencies, debt payments and reserves for future construction. All are considered in setting rates each year. Our current rates and fees are listed below.

Rates for 2023 are $56.00 a month plus $2.50 per 1000 gallons of water under 12,000 gallons, $4.50 per 1000 gallons of water over 12,001 gallons to 25,000 gallons, and $6.50 per 1,000 gallons of water over 25,001 gallons. Laurel Hills and Stemilt Hill rates are $67.00 a month plus the water charges. Rates cover the cost of running the district.

We bill every two months for the previous two months. Bills are overdue 30 days from the billing date. Late charges are added after 30 days, and water is subject to shut off after 40 days. 

New connection charges are $6500, plus charges for meter installation depending on the size of meter. 

Other charges include but are not limited to: Deposits for all new customers, surcharges on large meters, late charges, returned checks etc.

All customers are required to keep a 5-foot radius around the meter box cleared of all hazards to allow the district access at any time for repair or maintenance as needed per policy. Including alley access points. We now are charging a non-access fee if we cannot get to it to read or work on.

Cross connection is any connection between potable and non-potable water. This might contaminate our drinking water and is prohibited by law. We require certain customers to have backflow protection because of the potential of backflow. However, a cross connection may happen anywhere. Please do not directly connect any lawn or tree sprays to a domestic water hose. A backflow prevention device is available for connection to a fire hydrant at a low cost for orchardists who need water before irrigation season.

It is the customer’s responsibility to prevent backflow of contaminated water into the District’s water system, and the District shall not be liable for any loss or claim resulting from cross-connection. The installation or maintenance of any cross-connection with the District’s water supply is prohibited, and any such cross-connection must be terminated by the customer at the customer’s sole expense. The District may discontinue water service in the event a cross-connection is not terminated by the customer upon notice from the District. In addition, the District shall deny or discontinue water service to any customer who fails to cooperate in the installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, or repair of required backflow prevention assemblies.

Leaks are costly in terms of extra pumping costs and to you in water going through your meter. A toilet leak can waste about 200 gallons a day. A pinpoint leak in a line can waste 100 gallons a day or more depending on the pressure behind that leak. Water sense appliances may save you money and be eligible for PUD rebates. 

We continually inspect our lines for any sign of a leak.

CONSERVATION  

The district is required to account for as much water as possible. The district has fully metered all customers and reconciles as much as possible the use of pumped water with the water sold. Fire Hydrants and unknown leaks account for most of our unaccounted water. Our stated goal is to reduce water use to 230 gallons per day per residence by 2029.

Water Conservation Tips:

There are lots of places to learn about water conservation such as Water Use It Wisely. This website has resources for the whole family to learn about water conservation. From water usage audits to fun games that teach lots of ways we use and can save water. Also on their website, is a list of 100 Ways to Conserve. A few we liked are:

  1. Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.

  2. If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

  3. Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables. Use it to water houseplants.

  4. When shopping for a new dishwasher, use the Consortium for Energy Efficiency website to compare water use between models.