WHAT'S ON TAP?

Whitworth water district no. 2
ISSUE 22

Office Hours: 7:30 AM-4:00 PM

The Board meets 1st and 3rd Thursday, 4:30 PM at the Whitworth Water District Office, 10828 N Waikiki Road, Spokane, WA  99218

MAY 2010

Office: 466-0550   Emergency: 466-7511

 

General Statistics - 2009
New Meters Installed

69
Hydrants Repaired/Replaced

40
Meters Repaired/Replaced

2,406
Service Location Requests

1,321
Unaccounted for Water 2.64%
Water Pumped (in gallons) 3,250,783,800
Services 9,064
Mains Installed (Total) 245 Miles
Booster Stations 11
Wells 15
Reservoirs (16,000,000 gal of backup storage) 13

2009 Water Conservation Progress Report

Although I commend you for another low water usage year, the District's goal of customers not exceeding the average monthly connection use of 3,752 cubic feet was missed by a hair.  The average monthly connection use in 2009 was 3,794 cubic feet, 42 cubic feet or 314 gallons higher than the goal.  Making simple changes could have made the difference in our meeting our State required goal.  If each of you does only what is listed below, you will effortlessly reach your per connection goal.

PROBLEM

WATER WASTED

SOLUTION
Leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one  drop per second 2,700 gallons a year Replace the faucet washer
Leaving faucet on while brushing teeth or shaving 5 gallons each person Turn water on to wet and to rinse; otherwise, OFF
Letting tap run to get cold water 1 to 2 gallons each time Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator for your cold, refreshing drinks
Conserving water doesn't require a major change in lifestyle.  It is mostly about using good common sense.  Think about water, and when you do, think about conserving it.

 

Average Monthly Water Use Per Connection
Year   Use in CF
1998   3,841
1999 ☺ 3,752
2000 ☺ 3,560
2001 ☺ 3,627
2002 ☺ 3,519
2003   3,775
2004 ☺ 3,702
2005 ☺ 3,473
2006   3,893
2007   3,866
2008 ☺ 3,440
2009   3,794

"Water is the only drink for a wise man"

Henry David Thoreau

 

 

 

 

Water Samples - 2009

Type of Samples Taken

 No. Taken Cost
Bacteriologic 480 $9,600
Volatile Organic Chemical 4 $640
Nitrates 12 $240
Herbicides 12 $2,100
General Pesticides 12 $2,700
Inorganic Chemicals 2 $600
Lead & Copper 30   $1,050
Gross Alpha 11   $1,045
Radium 228 11   $1,045

TAP WATER POWER

  • Supports our economy; essential for business

  • No calories, no carbs; drink for improved health

  • Refills are free at participating faucets

  • Undergoes more rigorous testing than professional athletes

  • Protects us from fire; difference between a manageable fire and a raging inferno

  • Home delivery 24 hours a day

  • Banishes the bottle habit; plastic bottles be gone!!

  • Cleanses body and soul and replenishes the Earth

 

 

 

SAVE WITH ENERGY STAR AND WATER SENSE REBATES AVAILABLE

Residents in the Spokane County sewer service area, even if still on a septic system, are eligible for rebates up to $100 fro installing water efficient products.

  • Install a Water Sense certified high-efficiency toilet that replaces an existing toilet that uses 3.5 gallons or more per flush

  • Install an Energy Star clothes washer to replace an existing clothes washer

FOR FULL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, VISIT www.spokanewatersmart.org 

OR CALL (509) 477-3604

 

 

 

 

Comparative Shopping (based on 2009 US prices)
One gallon of tap water less than 1/10th of 1 cent
One gallon of bottle water $1.43 - $8.00
One gallon of soda $2.80 - $4.60
One gallon of milk $3.79 - $4.24
One gallon of gasoline $2.49 - $3.75
One gallon of table wine $18.50 - $37.95
One gallon of cafe`- latte's $35.00 - $52.00
One gallon of imported olive oil $135.00 - $525.00
One gallon fine French perfume $60,160.00

 
Our first obligation as a water purveyor is to provide water that is safe for consumption; a safe water supply is critical to protecting public health.  Secondary responsibilities include protecting our community from the threat of fire, supporting its economic success and providing a service that delivers a quality of life.  Tap water is not a mere convenience; it is central and necessary to our everyday lives.  To meet all of our responsibilities, the District's facilities must be well maintained.  We are continually upgrading, repairing and replacing our magnificent infrastructure network (pump stations, reservoirs, mains, hydrants, valves, meters, etc.) so safe and reliable water is accessible to you.

 
PROJECTS COMPLETED - 2009 - 2009
 

Project Cost
Zone 2  
Installed 1170' of 6" main on Wall, Price and N Mt View to form a System loop. Done in conjunction with County Sewer project

$41,421
Painted, reconstructed ladder and cage - Reservoir 2

$62,115
Zone 3  
Installed Zone 3-8 intertie meter and vault

$25,000
Zone 8  
Replaced 800' of 4" main, Shady Slope, south of river

$15,000
Zone 9  
Closed out multi-year, multi-phase main extension, 2mg reservoir project - Hatch, Wild Rose, Chattaroy Rd area

$5,024,559
Relocated 620' of 8" main on Deer Rd in Freeway project area. WADOT reimbursed District for the project costs

$24,234
District Wide  
Converted all District meters to radio-read devices

$164,141
PROJECTS SCHEDULED - 2010
 

Estimated Cost
Zone 1  
Replace pump control Valve Well 1

$2,000
Zone 2  
Install 2-3 intertie meter and vault

$25,000
Install 710' of 12" main, Pinewater Plaza to Camelot

$20,000
Install 2,640' of 16" main, east side of Hwy 2 north of Hawthorne Rd

$158,400
Zone 8  
Install 3,200' of 12" main to complete system loop in Chattaroy Rd - Wild Rose area

$160,000
Zone 9  
Big Meadows, Dunn, Woolard Rd looping main, engineering and preconstruction (in progress)

$267,000
Install portion of 16" main, Woolard to Big Meadows on Hardesty

$62,000
Relocation of 1,500' of 6" and 8" main, eastside of Hwy 2 in conjunction with State Hwy 2 freeway project (phased, in progress)

$75,022
District Wide  
GPS field locate all District in-ground facilities in order to quickly identify their exact position, especially in emergency or night time response situations

$40,000
 
Drip, drip, drip...

(More Water Down the Drain)

You can fix a leaky faucet yourself in less than an hour.  All you need are a few basic tools, a washer or two, or a repair kit for the type of faucet that is leaking.  Most parts will cost less than a dollar.  Most of the time, replacing the washer shown in the illustration will fix your leak.  Sometimes, however, you may need to replace the entire stem assembly.  Both are easy operations.

Before you begin, wrap the jaws of the wrench with masking tape to protect the faucet finish.  Cover the sink with a towel to protect it from dropped tools and to prevent small parts from going down the drain.

Is the faucet dripping hot or cold water?  You may have to fix only one handle unit, not two.

  • Turn off the water supply valves under the sink.  If they are not there or if they don't work, turn off the master supply for the entire house.  Turn on both faucets to let the water drain out.

  • Use the tip of a screw driver to pop off the decorative button on top.  Unscrew the screw under the button and pull or pry the handle off.  If it sticks you may have to work it free.  Don't use too much force or you will break the stem.

  • With the faucet handle removed, place your wrench on the large six-sided nut and loosen it.  Use your fingers to unscrew the stem and then remove it.

  • You will now see a rubber washer held in place by a screw.  Unscrew the screw, replace the washer with a washer of the same type and size and replace the screw.

  • Take a little petroleum jelly and rub it on the stem threads.  Screw the stem back and tighten with a wrench.  Put the handle button back on and turn on the water supply.

You're a hero - to your family and to us!!

 

 

WATER QUALITY REPORT - 2009

SOURCE TYPE:  Wells, Spokane-Rathdrum Aquifer

WATER HARDNESS:  176 ppm

MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level - The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.

MCLG = Maximum Contaminant Level Goal - The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health.  MCLG's allow for a margin of safety.

TT = Treatment Technique - A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

IOC = Inorganic Chemicals

mg/L = Milligrams per liter - 1 ppm

pCi/L = Picocuries per liter
VOC = Volatile Organic Chemicals

ug/L = Micrograms per liter - 1 ppb

ND = Not detected above quantifiable limits
< = Less than

AL = Action Level

  

Source Water Testing
Contaminant Most Stringent Standard (MCL) MCLG Highest Amount Detected Complies With Standard Possible Source

Nitrate - IOC

 10.0 mg/L 10 3.21 Yes Runoff from fertilizer use; septic tank leaching sewage; erosion of natural deposits.

Arsenic - IOC

 10 ug/L 0 3.11 Yes Erosion of natural deposits, runoff from orchards, glass and electronic production wastes.

Radium 228

 5 pCi/L 0 1.40 Yes

Erosion of natural deposits

Gross Alpha

 15 pCi/L 0 7.26 Yes

Erosion of natural deposits

 

Distribution System Testing

Contaminant Units MCLG MCL 90th Percentile High No. of Sites Exceeding AL Possible Source

Lead (Tested Summer 2009)

 ug/L 0 AL = 15 1 15.8 1 Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits.

The above information is provided to notify you of the results of our water quality monitoring in 2009.  More than 82 compounds were tested for in 2009  In every case except those listed above, there were no levels detected.  Where a level was detected, the compound was well below federal regulations established by the Environmental Protection Agency.  The sources of drinking water for both tap and bottled water include wells and surface water sources (springs, lakes, ponds, rivers).  As water moves through the ground or over land surfaces, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from animal or human activity.  Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.  The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.  More information about contaminants and health effects can be obtained by call the EPA Safe Drinking Water hotline  (800)-426-4791.

Compounds that may be present in water include the following:

Organic - Synthetic and volatile compounds that are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production; can also come from gas station and urban storm runoff, and septic systems.

Inorganic - Salts and metals that are either naturally occurring or result from urban storm runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharge, oil and gas production, mining and farming.

Pesticides/Herbicides - From agricultural and storm water runoff and domestic uses.

Biological - Viruses and bacteria occurring from sewage treatments plants, septic systems, feedlots and backflow in a public system.

Radioactive - Naturally occurring; also result of gas and oil production and mining activities.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immuno compromised people 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 are appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791.  You may also contact our Water Quality Specialist at 466-7511 for more information on Whitworth Water District's water.