Post date: Feb 04, 2016 9:49:47 PM
CREWA
CEDAR RIDGE ESTATES WATER ASSOCIATION
PO BOX 7236 OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON 98507-7236
January 30, 2016
Re: Special Community Meeting
Dear CEDAR RIDGE Residents,
We would like to invite you to an informational meeting with the CREWA board and Thurston County PUD regarding the acquisition of Cedar Ridge Estates water system. Many of you may know we have and will continue to face many difficult challenges with regards to our water system. Inconsistent chlorine levels and aging infrastructure will require costly upgrades in the future. Historically, non-board member turnout to community meetings has been minimal. This makes it difficult to solidify the right solution for our community. We are strongly urging your attendance at our February 24th meeting with the Thurston County PUD. Your questions and input are vital to the future of our water system!
Challenges our water system is currently facing
High Iron and Manganese – reduction system required (estimated $100,000+)including a rate increase for maintenance
Inconsistent Water pressure – too high for some, not enough for others
Inconsistent support from current management company
Volunteer vs. Full-time paid management
History:
In the last five years we have seen the expense to maintain the water system increase dramatically. Despite raising water rates last year, 2015, CREWA realizes another rate increase would likely be assessed next year due to the age of the system and a need to increase our funds for future repairs/replacements of older pumps and equipment.
We no longer have volunteers assuming responsibilities at the pump house. Long term board members, who did much of the State mandated work, have left Cedar Ridge Estates. The services they provided are now assigned to a management company at a cost.
There was a time when it was an asset to own our water rights. Now with the State mandates, emergency management requirements, sanitation surveys, etc., the water rights to which we cling are fast becoming a liability. Home property assessments suffer when water systems are owned by neighborhoods, even when a private management company is contracted for services.
CREWA has explored options of filtration to reduce the manganese as a means to improve the water quality and ensure less degeneration of our pipes and equipment. We have concluded that a special assessment in the thousands per property owner to install a filtration system would be “out of reach” for most families. It would also require an additional rate increase to meet the maintenance requirements for a filtration system. We realize some families have spent money installing filtration in their homes and the decision to affirm a special assessment did not seem feasible, nor equitable. The least expensive option of drilling a second well for winter, is also out of our financial reach.
Remedy:
CREWA has explored selling the water system. The best and most viable solution is with the Thurston County PUD. Their proposal presented to the Board January 20th, 2016, has been posted on the website: https://sites.google.com/site/cedarridgeestatesolympia/home
The proposal with the PUD would remove us from liability with the State, give us service, management, repair, billing, and ‘customer to company communications’, all in one service. All State and mandated activities would be met and we’d be assured our water was safe at all times. A filtration and/or water quality aspect of their proposal is also on the table, with the PUD considering the scope of work we had done for a possible filtration system in the future.
Our attorney advises that any money acquired through the potential acquisition of our system by the PUD would be added to our road funds. Those funds would be used to complete the long overdue chip seal needed on our driveway, ditch clean-up, culvert replacements/repair, and emergency funds. These funds would continue to be managed by CRERMA, the road maintenance part of the Board.
CREWA is calling for a SPECIAL MEETING of all community members on February 24, 2016 at 7pm where the PUD and their representatives will be available to answer questions. Your attendance would be greatly appreciated.
East Olympia Fire Department Address: 8047 Normandy St SE, Olympia, WA 98501
We look forward to your participation.
CREWA