PUD works on water issues
by Sunny Manary
The Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners met Tuesday to discuss energy and water issues.
Manager Dave Tramblie told the board water crews are trying to replace existing crossings on Puget Island. He said the pipe being used usually does not have a casing and creates a lot of problems. He said that Bill Chamberlain and his crew had made no headway in replacement. A bid to replace the pipe, Tramblie said, did not include any prep work.
Tramblie said it appears that the PUD could purchase its own boring equipment in a price range of $25-40,000. A small one would be limited to two inches for 200 feet of pipe, whereas a larger one would be four inches for 400 feet. He said he believes that equipment purchase would be a better way to go so the equipment would be readily available and they could do the work themselves.

Auditor Erin Wilson told the board she and Tramblie have discussed loan amounts that should be requested for the SR 409 project, and are figuring the best course of action to take; to apply for the whole loan or just half. She said that according to the engineer on the project, Mike Johnson, he said they would be short about $400,000.
After discussing many options, it was best decided that the decision be given further scrutiny and a decision will be made in the next month.

In other business, Tramblie also reported a used substation transformer from Clark County PUD still needs to be tested before being purchased. He said that he is wrestling with making sure the transformer is 100 percent viable. He told the board that Clark County has indicated they would do the checking of the transformer for Wahkiakum.
To be sure that the transformer is ready to go, it would need to be taken apart in Clark County, towed to Wahkiakum County, put back together and checked. It would be a substantial investment; however, he said they need to be sure it works.
Jim Jespersen, utility person for the PUD, thanked the board for allowing him to attend the Advanced Backflow Assembly and Testing through the Washington Environmental Training Center conference in Yakima. He said as he didn’t have a lot of experience in water, he learned a lot regarding water practices. In 12 sessions from meter reading to pipe replacement, he found it to be information he could use in the future as well as now.

Commissioner Esther Gregg reported that Chuck TenPass, Washington Public Utility District Association (WPUDA) president, asked her to serve on the energy committee. She said she felt it necessary to decline as they meet at the same time the water committee meets.
Gregg said that people in the county are still looking for water and she was able to keep her eyes and ears open for funding. She said she felt that Commissioners Larry Reese and Bob Jungers had a good grasp on the energy world so she would like to stay with water. Reese joked he thought that was a good idea.
Around 20 people attended the ‘burn the mortgage’ celebration held last week at Grays River Grange Hall, half from the community, half from the Grange. Bill Dietrich, one of the original designers of the system was in attendance with his wife and daughter, also an architect. “It was a nice event,” Gregg said.