Hartstene Pointe Water-Sewer District is newly formed and received ownership of the water and sewer infrastructure in November 2009 from Mason County. It will use 2010 to assess the condition of the infrastructure and then prioritize the needed improvements.
Water Pressure Booster Station
The Washington State Department of Health has placed a moratorium on additional water connections until the District can use more of the water storage in its tank. The District has applied for a USDA federal loan to design and construct a pressure booster station. This will improve water pressure and allow greater utilization of the water in the District’s tank. It is expected that the completion of this project will remove the moratorium.
The Board of Commissioners has selected RH2 Engineers to design the pump station and that work can commence when the USDA loan is approved.
Water Meters
The State of Washington will require water meters for each customer as part of its State program. Rather than wait for the deadline in a few years, the District has included water meter installation in its application for the USDA loan. A contract will be awarded to have meters and meter assemblies installed at each customer’s house when the USDA loan is approved.
THE SEWER SYSTEM
The sewer collection system does not have a construction project at this time. However, the District’s next priority will be to reduce the amount of ground water than enters into the sewer mains. To reduce the infiltration and inflow (I&I) of groundwater will reduce the cost of treating the wastewater and will allow us to better use the capacity of the wastewater treatment facility.
The District has a sequential batch treatment facility that provides secondary treatment to its wastewater before it is discharged into Case Inlet. The plant is sized correctly to serve the entire community. However, it has experienced many years of deferred maintenance that now has to be addressed.
A new 8-inch outfall was constructed in 2008 and this minimizes the impact of the water on the shellfish beds by our community.
New computer controls were installed at the plant in 2009 to replace the obsolete controls that had failed.
Other plant improvements include:
- Repairing one of the two effluent pumps
- Replacing the chlorine scales.
- Replacing the chlorine injectors.
- Replacing the corroded electrical transformers.
In 2011 it is anticipated that the bar screens will have to be replaced to comply with the new State standards.
