PUD to study water expansion in Westend

Wahkiakum PUD is going to study the feasibility of expanding the Western Wahkiakum Water System to Oneida and Salme Hill neighborhoods.

Warren and Pam Anderson, who live near the foot of Salme Hill, have presented petitions signed by 19 property owners requesting PUD water service.

The Andersons operate a campground along SR 4 and have been told by the county health department they must obtain an approved water source.

The PUD just completed an expansion of the system up Deep River and down Salmon Creek to the Pacific County line.

PUD Manager Dave Tramblie said he has put in a call to Gibbs and Olsen Engineers, who engineered the recent project, to talk about a feasibility study for further expansion.

He commented that the new request could be seen as different projects, for Salme Hill is near the Salmon Creek line, and Oneida is nearer the line where it turns to Deep River.

In other business at the PUD’s board meeting Tuesday, Tramblie sought and received board approval to begin installing meters with automated reading capacity.

The meters would transmit use data to the PUD office.

Tramblie said the PUD’s current meter reading system with hand-held recorders and a computer is aging. The computer program won’t be supported after 2008.

“At some time we’ll have to upgrade,” he said.

He suggested installing the automated meters in new connections to begin the transition.

The new meters cost $75 compared to $50 for the current meters, Tramblie said.