Wahkiakum PUD Report

The Wahkiakum PUD Commissioners met on Tuesday, March 3, for their regularly scheduled meeting. The group discussed the social media policy on which Director of Finance Shelby Garrett has been working. Commissioners and Garrett discussed whether to allow things such as messaging on the social media sites and opted to continue working on it, with Garrett instructed to take a look at how neighboring PUDs approach to social media. The commissioners were given an update on the 2026 Cathlamet Water System and Puget Island Water System Fluoride Survey. As of March 3 at 8 a.m., there were 203 responses, which is a 15 percent response rate. The question “Would you like Wahkiakum PUD to continue to add fluoride to the water you purchase from Wahkiakum PUD?” was met with 111 saying “no” and 92 choosing “yes.” The survey remains open for public comment at wahkiakumpud.org. According to the PUD website, “This survey has three questions and will take approximately one minute to complete.”

During Public Comment, Laurel Waller noted that it could be a good idea for the PUD to post somewhere the changes with the Winter Average now gone. Waller also suggested breaking down costs and noting it on people’s bills in increments of 45, 30, or 15 days, etc. Waller also suggested the PUD put out some information about fluoride and educate people on its pros/cons so that citizens can make informed comments. Jason Will also made a public comment and brought in a small blue flag from his yard that had been placed there by PUD crews. These underground utility-marking flags indicate the locations of buried services. Will stated, “Spring is coming and these things are being left everywhere… these [flags] don’t do well in mowers.... I would hate to see any of the shrapnel in my livestock’s guts.” Will wanted to ensure the PUD was prioritizing the collection of these flags when crews were finished.