Town refurbishing water reservoir

Cathlamet water system customers should use water carefully, Mayor Dick Swart recommended this past weekend.

The town has drained the Greenwood Hill reservoir so that it may be refurbished and painted. The project was planned for this year, but good weather and other conditions brought the contractor to work sooner than expected, Swart said.

Swart said the town is requesting its customers, including water customers of Wahkiakum PUD on Puget Island, to begin voluntary water conservation, through May 25. Normal household water uses for cooking, bathing, and cleaning are fine, Swart said.

However, customers contemplating major water uses such as irrigation, structural water-blasting, etc., are asked to defer those uses until after May 25.

"Half our storage capacity is deemed safe for fire flow and normal household uses at this time of year, provided that we use common sense in deferring large drafts on the reduced storage capacity," Swart said. "The fire agencies have been alerted and are shifting tactics during this period. The PUD, school district, sheriff's office, and the emergency coordination command have been informed. This time of year is best because fire danger is relatively low, water supplies are adequate, and seasonal use--tourists, the pool, summer irrigation, etc.--have not yet kicked in."

Julius A. Wendt Elementary School reported low water flow and problems flushing toilets on Monday. The problem was apparently solved by early evening the same day by adjusting a pressure reducing valve. Swart said people should call city hall if there are problems.

The town will conduct a similar project next year to do maintenance on the Kent's Bridge Road tank, Swart added.

"It is a learning experience for us," he said. "We are keeping a log of customer reports, so that actual experience can be compared to the engineers' hydraulic flow predictions. The town needs to repeat the drill next year in order to inspect and upgrade Kent's Bridge tank. Things learned this year will help reduce inconvenience in future repair events."