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| October 13, 2016 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 - She~ton-Mason County Journal - Page A-27
Photo courtesy of Gerard Fitzpatrick
Water gushes from the end of Queen Ann water lines in September as the
lines are flushed for residual shock, used to clear E. coli bacteria from the
water supply.
e
drained, there was no sand or silt in
continued from page A-24 the tank -- a sign of a safe tank.
connections near North Shore Road.While Riley said the source ofE. coli
"I was testing for nitrate already, so can be anything from a broken line to
I decided to test for coliform anyway, faulty bathroom renovations, Fitzpat-
since I was sending a sample to the lab rick said he narrowed the source of the
already," recalls Fitzpatrick, who has problem to either a faulty vent or hatch
been managing the public system for on the storage container. Both have
nine years, been repaired, he added.
The lab notified Fitzpatrick of the E. "The thing is, because I'm always
coli the next day; he took four addition- out there, I can keep an eye on every-
al samples of the water -- three more thing," Fitzpatrick said. "Because we're
than required- to send back to the lab a Class A system, we have to have
for clarification. One of those samples someone available 24/7 ... and I'm al-
showed signs of E. coli, but that was ways out there, walking the lines and
enough to require treatment, making sure nothing is broken. It's a
County and state department of really goodthing."
health officials were notified, and Fitz- On Sept. 21, Fitzpatrick retested the
patrick said he sent all of his customers water, and by that Friday, he had re-
a "boil watez~' notice during the follow- ceived a clean test from the lab.
ing two days, which told customers to The state department of health gave
boil water before using or use bottled customers the all clear last week to
water, start using tap water again.
During the next two weeks, Fitz- "I honestly believe that it was a
patrick "shocked" the system, flushing blessing that I decided to test," Fitzpat-
the water using chlorine to kill bacte- rick said. "This is not just a job for me.
ria. Since the Queen Ann system is not ... I take pride in supplying safe and
usually chlorinated, he was able to test adequate drinking water. This is the
for chlorine at the ends of the line to same water Idrink."
ensure the treatment made it through Riley said the county department
the entire line. of health has received several calls re-
Debbie Riley, environmental healthgarding rumors on social media that
manager for Mason County, said theother county water supplies had E. coli.
process usually takes less than a month Riley said these rumors are false.
to correct. "People are concerned and they
After shocking the line, the system should be," Riley said. "We'd rather
was flushed and the 40,000-gallon stor- they callus to get answers."
age tank was drained three times to For more information on county wa-
ensure any tainted water was removed, ter supply in Belfair, call 275-4467, ext.
Fitzpatrick said when the tank was400.
It looks
good on you!
il/1 0anie 0.0
I Pediatric and Adult Dentistry I
1 21 NE Romance Hill (next to Harrison Urgent Care Belfair) I
at
7
in revenue, compared with $5,760
continued from page A-24 last year. Revenue sources include
2016; Dennis did not receive a raise, customer payments, hook-up fees and
The budget also estimated set- bulk watersales.
ting aside $10,000 for public records Expenses outweighed revenues,
requests. Coppola said the port had with an estimated $9,857.06, a~er
spent $6,000 in employee time toan incorrect payment amottnt was
fulfill public records requests during removed from the budget during the
2016. meeting.
Scott said the number seemed Expenses include payments to the
high and suggested dropping it down water system manager, paying back
to $5,000. an international development, district
The 2017 budget estimated set- loan and wellhouse electricity.
ting aside $40,000 for capital proj- =With infrastructure, you don't
ects, which could include the Sargent see immediate returns," Scott said of
Oyster House project or real estate the imbalance, adding that the port
acquisitions, Coppola said. expects to start seeing returas on the
During 2016, the port set aside utility once it is fully paid off in three
$8,500 for capital projects, which it years.
did not use. Cooper said the port has the water
Commissioners suggested desig- rights for 300 hook-ups, but is only
nating $30,000 for the capital proj- using 13, adding that pushing more
ects fund instead, and increasing that water hook-ups could generate more
number in the future if the projects revenue for the water district.
called for it. The full draft of the 2017 budget
The port also owns a water utility, can be found on the port's website at
which provides water to 13 hook-ups www.portofallyn.com. Commission-
in the port district, ers are slated to vote on the budget at
The draft for the water utility bud- the next port meeting at 6 p.m. Nov.
get included an estimated $8,947.50 7 at the port office.
."We made more money last year than we
ever have at the North Shore (boat launch),"
Scott Cooper, Port of AIlyn commissioner •
i
Mason County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Spurting
"1 will be reading to kids at Reader's NighL
See you there!"
Proudly sponsored by:
SHELTON-MASON COUNTY
and Shelton School District ,
more informaUon call 0-42b-4412