PUD updates equipment for improved response

 


Wahkiakum PUD’s electrical crew will soon have a new bucket truck to use when working on overhead power lines, the utility’s commissioners decided at their Tuesday morning meeting.

The PUD received four bids for the replacement of its current aerial lift-equipped vehicle. The commissioners chose the low bid of $99,429 which came from Versalift Northwest. The expenditure was originally budgeted at $120,000.

In addition to the bucket truck, the utility also recently acquired a laptop and projector, which PUD Manager Dave Tramblie demonstrated for the commissioners.

Pulling up a spreadsheet of dates and numbers to display onscreen, Tramblie explained to the commissioners that PUD water crew chief Jim Jespersen has begun to use the laptop to collect hourly data on the Puget Island Water System’s maximum and average flow as a diagnostic tool to detect leaks.

Every morning Jespersen drives to the location of the water system’s master meter to download data from the night before. Data from the 2-3 a.m. hour contains potential clues, Tramblie said, as that tends to be the period of lowest use. If monitoring picks up flow above a certain level at that time, the system may have a leak.

However, with a water system constructed in a series of loops, pinpointing the site of the leak can be difficult.

Tramblie asked the commissioners to approve the purchase and installation of nine bypass meters on the island. Three are already in place, but a total of 12 would allow for the ability to isolate much smaller sections of line.

No one will lose service during installation of the bypass meters, Tramblie said.

The commissioners approved the $2,800 purchase and installation cost for the meters, noting that it would be a step towards meeting the Department of Health’s water use efficiency standard of system-wide losses under 10 percent.

The commissioners later held an executive session for the purpose of discussing potential litigation.

After they returned to open session, they authorized entering into an agreement with the Town of Cathlamet to work with a mediator in order for the two agencies to resolve issues regarding the contract that governs the purchase of the water that supplies Puget Island Water System customers from the town’s municipal water system.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/28/2024 04:23