2023 Annual Water Report to Customers

Download 2023 Annual Water Report to Customers

(Word Doc) (PDF-Mobile Friendly)

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

Commissioners

Matthew Crane, Krista Herling, Staci Shearer, Mike Schoenwald, Jeremy Walker

Except for holidays, the Malaga Water District Board of Commissioners meets on the first and third Mondays at 3957 Malaga Ave at 6:30PM.  We encourage you to attend. Your drinking water comes from an aquifer well field under downtown Malaga and near the Malaga fire station. 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 2023 we had 1 bacteria test fail in October. Tests for other contaminates are also done yearly. See the results below.

The district is in the process of adding 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 509-664-0142.

If you have an emergency call 509-664-0142 and follow prompts to get a person.

TEST RESULTS.  We tested for the following contaminant items in 2023. For more details please call the district office:

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

Nitrate                                        4.09                                                  10

Gross Alpha                                 .8610                                               3

Radium 228                                 .1890                                               5

PFAS                                         6.21                                                   15

Lead                                           .0010   average over 10 tests            .0010

Copper                                       .0100   average over 10 tests            .0200  

 

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 2023 we could not account for 4.52% of our pumped water. This may be because of unauthorized use or leaks.

In 2023 we found 2 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 2024 are $57.00 a month plus $2.50 per 1,000 gallons of water up to 12,000 gallons, $4.50 per 1,000 gallons of water from 12,001 gallons to 25,000 gallons, and $6.50 per 1,000 gallons over 25,000 gallons. Laurel Hills and Stemilt Hill rates are $68.00 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 $6,500, 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. This includes alley access points. We now are charging a non-access fee if we cannot get to it to read or work on it.

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 a 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.

FUTURE

The district has approximately 635 connections currently. The Department of Health has limited us to 1,246 connections without improvements in our system. We have drilled a new well away from the downtown area that should reduce the possibility of contamination. A new main line is being installed to serve up to six new Microsoft data centers being built or planned for our district, at Microsoft’s expense.  Our Comprehensive plan identifies locations for new reservoirs which will need to be built in the next 10 years. There are also smaller lines that are beginning to rust away and will need replacing in the next 10 years. A pipe's lifespan is 30 to 40 years, and we have pipes in the ground now that are 60 years old. Our engineer has identified some one million dollars in repairs and replacements soon. With the loss of federal and state grants, our rates must start to cover those replacements. 

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. This will require educating our customers on ways to reduce water use in their homes and outdoors. If you have any questions about ways to reduce water use in your home, please call the district office.

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.