In Memoriam of Commissioner Margaret Wiggins
The District’s long-time Commissioner, Margaret Wiggins, passed away unexpectedly on August 24, 2016, at age 63. She served on the District’s Board of Commissioners continuously since 1998.
Margaret first ran for the Board position in 1997 to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of another Board member. At that time Margaret, her husband and their two sons had been living in the District for 19 years. An Air Force veteran and a former project manager for US West Communications, Margaret was active in the community and served as a Precinct Committee Officer for the Republican Party.
Having retired from regular employment and with two grown children, Margaret was able to direct her energy to the office of Commissioner and devoted a substantial amount of time to the District. In addition to serving on the Board, she represented the District on numerous committees addressing regional, state or countywide issues. After almost two decades of participation, Margaret was recognized as a leader among the appointed and elected officials of most agencies within the water and sewer industry.
Margaret always took her duties as Commissioner very seriously. She demonstrated a keen interest in areas of emergency preparedness and cost containment. As staff, we all knew that our recommendations must withstand vigorous scrutiny by Margaret if it might increase the cost of operating the District. She extended the same inquisitive resolve towards rate adjustment proposals from King County and the Seattle Public Utilities —our wholesale suppliers—to keep costs down for the ratepayers.
Besides being busy with her work on behalf of the District, Margaret found time to continuously hone her skills to better serve the public. While serving as Commissioner, Margaret attained the highest designation – the Gold Certificate – from the Commissioner Accreditation Program, issued by the Washington Association of Water and Sewer Districts.
Commissioner Wiggins’ devotion to her elected office did not go unnoticed. Last November, she was re-elected to the position of Commissioner, receiving almost 72% of the total votes. For her re-election campaign, she only put out seven old yard signs left over from the previous elections.
Margaret will be greatly missed by those she represented, her friends and colleagues in the industry and the District staff.
Accepting Applications for New Commissioner
Position Open for New Commissioner
With the untimely passing of late long-time Commissioner Margaret Wiggins, State laws require that the remaining members of the Board of Commissioners appoint a replacement to serve in Margaret's position.
To that end, the District will accept applications for a Commissioner to serve on the Board until the end of 2017.
The successful candidate must stand for election in November 2017 for the remainder of Commissioner Wiggins’ term until the end of 2021. This is an opportunity for those who are interested in public service to the community.
Northshore Utility District is a special purpose district formed under title 57 of the Revised Codes of Washington. The District is governed by a Board of five Commissioners. Acting as a body, the Board sets policies to guide the operations of the District. The office of Commissioner is elected at large for a six-year term.
The applicant must be a registered voter residing within the District. A minimum time commitment of approximately 100 hours per year is required.
Any party interested in filling this role should send a resume and cover letter to:
Northshore Utility District
Attn: HRA
6830 NE 185th Street
Kenmore, WA 98028
The letter should include a statement explaining the applicant’s interest in the position. All applications received before October 1, 2016, will be considered. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview. The Board of Commissioners will make the appointment around November 14, 2016.
Inquiries about the nature of the Commissioner position may be made by email to HRA@nud.net.
Extreme Heat Warning in Place
With the Excessive Heat Warning in place from Thursday afternoon through Sunday, King County shares some helpful information on ways to stay safe - see www.kcemergency.com.
The tips include:
- Checking in on neighbors or relatives who may be vulnerable to the heat.
- Visiting air conditioned places like libraries, malls or movie theaters.
- Drinking plenty of water - the body's air conditioner!
- Never leaving children or pets unattended in a vehicle, even with open windows
Many cities are offering cooling centers for those who need them. You can search win211.org for registered "Extreme Heat Cooling Centers" by zip code. The City of Kirkland also offers a list of public buildings open to residents for heat relief at: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Whats-Happening/News/City-of-Kirkland-Establishes-Cooling-Center-Ahead-of-Heat-Wave.
Stay cool and well-hydrated this weekend!
Upcoming Emergency Preparedness Events
Like us, the recent Cascadia Rising earthquake preparedness event may have put emergencies in the forefront of your mind.
We may not face a major earthquake for 100 years—or, it could happen within 10. We may see major winter wind storms again this year that find thousands without power.
In any event, NOW is a great time to get your home and family as prepared as you can be! These upcoming events and classes can help you take those next steps.
- Saturday, September 24th: Northshore Emergency Preparedness Fair
- WHERE: Lake Forest Park Town Center, between 10am and 2pm
- WHAT TO EXPECT: Expert staff onsite to share preparedness tips with giveaways, emergency supplies and hands-on activities. FAMILY FRIENDLY!
- Saturday, October 1st: Northshore Emergency Preparedness Workshop
- WHERE: Northshore Fire Station (Kenmore), from 9am-1pm
- WHAT TO EXPECT: Hands on training in suppressing fire, shutting off your gas and water lines, generator examples, etc.
- Thursdays, October 6th - November 24th: Community Emergency Response Training (CERT)
- WHERE: Northshore Fire Station (Kenmore), evening hours TBD
- WHAT TO EXPECT: An 8-week course for those seeking more comprehensive emergency preparedness training to support community efforts during a large-scale emergency.
- FOR MORE INFO AND TO REGISTER: Contact Carl Lunak, northshoreEMC@gmail.com.
Managing Assets, Bursting Pipes at the 73rd Ave / 181st St Project
You may have noticed some traffic delays by the old fire station on 73rd. Really, it’s not a deliberate attempt to frustrate your commute!
This construction work is actually part of our larger asset management program, a very technical way of saying:
- The District (which is all of our ratepayers) owns all of NUD’s infrastructure – pipelines, reservoirs, pump stations, etc. Our staff at NUD take care of the infrastructure, making sure it continues to do its work of bringing you clean drinking water and safely carrying away your wastewater, every single day.
- Many of the District’s pipelines are older, having been installed over 50 years ago. Side note: “old” for NUD is nothing in comparison to systems on the East Coast that have been in operation for over 100 years! Some of the old wood pipelines still exist!
- As pipe technology has advanced, NUD has worked to keep pace, replacing our older pipe materials with new. But with a system containing 270 miles of water main, obviously we have to prioritize which parts to replace. Here’s where the “asset management program” comes in.
- Weighing multiple factors, our engineering team determines the risk and consequence of failure for each pipe. What is the pipe’s age? What is the water pressure level (higher pressures increasing wear and tear on pipes)? What is the pipe material (some materials have proven to be less durable and prone to disruptive failure)? And how high is the potential for damage if the pipe were to fail—is it in a landslide or earthquake zone, or a location that could damage the environment or blow out a road?
- All of these factors weighed together produce a priority number our engineering team relies on when scheduling projects.
This leads us back to our project situation at 181st and 73rd. If you live in the Kenmore area, you may remember a pretty dramatic water eruption at this location two years ago. The break in this 12 inch main spewed 890,000 gallons of water and took crews and contractors many hours to patch up both the pipe and the asphalt overlay. The replacement project will keep this pipe and the road secure from future disruptive main breaks.
We're also performing the replacement in the least disruptive and most economical way possible. The pipe portion on NE 181st St. will be installed by a process called"trenchless pipe bursting."
How it works: A machine bores the new pipe into the old one – literally bursting the old pipe into shards as it goes. Unlike traditional “open-trench” construction, which tears open the entire length of a stretch of road, this method requires smaller, localized excavations in the road, which reduces road restoration costs and traffic impacts.
All things considered, we hope our customers in the affected areas count a couple of month’s-worth of traffic delays a reasonable cost for 1,500 LF feet of new, secure water main serving you for many years to come. If you have any questions about this ongoing project, you may contact our Engineering Director, Dave Kaiser, at 425-398-4422, or dkaiser@nud.net.
Want to see a pipe bursting in progress? Check out this video!
Response to Tacoma/Seattle New Lead Concerns
We understand your concerns with water safety due to Tacoma Water’s recently identified lead issues in the news, and Seattle Public Utilities’ recent response, recommending customers run water before drinking. The following information is to help explain the issue and how to make sure you are safe.
- Our water source, supplied from the Seattle Public Utilities system, does not contain lead. However, lead can leach into water from home plumbing systems built with lead-based solder, brass fixtures, or some types of old zinc coatings used on galvanized pipes and fittings. Both Seattle and Tacoma have much older infrastructure than we have at Northshore Utility District.
- The cities of Tacoma and Seattle suspect lead-related issues associated with older galvanized piping systems and lead “gooseneck” fittings. Northshore Utility District uses plastic service lines and has replaced nearly all older galvanized lines with plastic. We estimate that only a very small fraction of our existing water service lines - perhaps as few as 200 out of the 22,000 – are not plastic. Northshore has no record of any “gooseneck” leaded connections being installed within the Districts system, which triggered the Tacoma and Seattle concerns.
- If older plumbing is a concern, it is recommended that residents follow Washington State Department of Health guidelines:
- Run water for two minutes before using it if the water has not been run for more than six hours.
- It is also always best to use cold water for consumption since lead dissolves more quickly from plumbing materials in hot water.
- For peace of mind, you can also contact a local testing lab to test for lead, such as AmTest Labs in Kirkland. The cost for the test is approximately $25.
- You do not need a sterile container.
- Fill a clean plastic bottle (Talking Rain, Dasani, etc.) with a minimum of one liter of water.
- Take the water sample from the cold side of a tap that has been dormant for at least 8 hours (the time of dormancy is very important). Labs recommend using the kitchen faucet first thing in the morning if it has not been used.
- Use the first draw from the tap - do not let the tap run first.
- Take the sample to the lab.
NUD's New Boat / Lake Line Inspection Project
NUD’s recently acquired pontoon boat—unofficially named the “S.S. Ewer”—began its inaugural inspections along the shores of Lake Washington this spring.
The aging sewer systems located along the lake line have been notoriously difficult to access without disturbing residences. But maintaining these lines is vital to protect the health of both the residents and lake. The new boat gives our crews direct access to inspect, repair, and service these lines.
Over the last several weeks alone, we have been able to collect video footage of nearly 5,300 feet of sewer main. This lets us pinpoint any areas needing maintenance or repair. Using the boat, our crews also raised six buried manhole structures. Manholes serve as access portals to the main line, so keeping them accessible and in good working order is critical to maintaining a healthy sanitary sewer system.
We’re pleased the pontoon boat is already returning value in helping us do the vital work of keeping the sewer system healthy and protecting our public and environmental health. So when you see that strange vessel docked at Kenmore Harbor, now you know its purpose!
Your Water Is Safe! Why Flint, MI Situation Won't Happen Here
The ongoing news coverage of the public water crisis in Flint, Michigan has understandably raised concerns everywhere about water safety. Northshore Utility District (NUD) has been watching the situation closely.
For those concerned, we want to first assure you that our water, tested daily, is safe to drink. Flint’s water crisis was caused both by different conditions as well as testing processes. This article shares four main reasons why we are safeguarded from the same lead hazards.
1. No lead in our lines
First, it is important to note that lead does not come from the water source. Lead is leached into the water system from plumbing materials and fixtures constructed with certain metals—most commonly, lead solder used in copper plumbing systems.
Seattle banned use of lead solder in 1980; the plumbing code followed suit in 1985. But older systems like Flint’s contains more of the old pipe materials containing lead. Northshore Utility District uses newer high-grade plastic service lines and has replaced nearly all older galvanized lines with plastic. We estimate that only a very small fraction of our existing water service lines - as few as 200 out of the 22,000 – are not plastic.
Additionally, a few years ago the District exchanged all of its water meters with “no lead” compliant water meters—a decision made well before the legislative mandate. Our entire distribution system, tested frequently for water safety, contains virtually no lead.
2. At-risk areas surveyed regularly for lead levels
Some homes built or re-plumbed with copper plumbing before 1980 may be at risk. As part of their daily water testing, Seattle Public Utilities and NUD obtain data from a sample collected from at-risk homes every three years (see data from 2015 Water Quality Report). The last survey in 2014 showed no lead levels in at-risk homes were above EPA limits.
If your home was built or re-plumbed with copper plumbing before 1985, it is ultimately your decision as a homeowner whether or not to replace the older pipes that may contain lead solder. If you have concerns, you can contact NUD’s Water Quality Office to be added to our test sampling. You can also hire an outside test company to test the water coming through your fixtures.
3. Our water treatment prevents pipe corrosion
Flint’s water source has a naturally acidic pH. Acidic water will corrode pipes faster, allowing pipe lead to leach into the drinking water. Our water source from the Tolt Reservoir is naturally neutral on the pH scale.
But more importantly, unlike Flint, our water is treated at the source before it enters the pipe systems. In a recent King 5 news interview, SPU water quality official Wylie Harper described the treatment process as “optimiz[ing] the chemistry, so it’s as least aggressive or least corrosive as possible on [the older] plumbing materials.” Flint employed no source water treatment to balance its source water acidity to reduce the chances of pipe corrosion.
4. We test daily for your safety
Finally, unlike Flint’s flawed testing processes, your water is regularly tested to ensure it remains safe. In accordance with Department of Health requirements, we continually inform you of the condition of your drinking water through both your annual Water Quality Report, and regular notices for unusual issues.
Lead test samples taken every three years from at-risk homes in our area have continued to show lead amounts below the Environmental Protection Agency action levels of 15 parts per billion.
Delivering your family clean, safe water is our #1 priority. If you have ongoing concerns about your water or would like more information on how it is treated, please contact our Water Quality Office at (425) 398-4419 or waterquality@nud.net.
Links to more information:
- Department of Ecology - list of certified water testing labs
- Local Kirkland water testing lab AmTest
- SPU Lead and Copper info page
- King 5 news feature on Seattle Water quality (2nd of 3 features)
NUD Public Auction of Surplus Items
Northshore Utility District is holding a public auction of surplus items. Details on how to participate and full list of surplus items up for auction provided HERE.
Public Hearings to Discuss 2016 Rate Resolution
THE FOLLOWING WAS PUBLISHED AS A PUBLIC NOTICE:
Northshore Utility District’s Board of Commissioners will hold Public Hearings during their next two regularly scheduled Board Meetings on Monday, February 1, 2016 and Monday, February 22, 2016 at 5:30 pm at the District Headquarters located at 6830 NE 185th Street in Kenmore. The purpose of these hearings is to discuss the 2016 Rate Resolution.