Perhaps the most “onerous” task for the board of any Group A community water system is the preparation of the Small Water Systems Management Program that is required by the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-290-105).  In fact, there is nothing really complicated about putting together a SWSMP …. but it covers so many aspects of operating and maintaining a water system that board members feel swamped …… and that leads to putting off the task until the Office of Drinking Water conducts a Sanitary Survey and discovers that the required document isn’t complete or doesn’t exist at all. At the … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2019

Every year, we receive many questions from our members about the Small Water Systems Management Program (SWSMP) that the State requires (Washington Administrative Code 246-290-105) of all Group A systems. Indeed, when you pull up the official Guide for preparing the SWSMP on your computer it does seem overwhelming (82 pages !!!! for Heaven’s sake) and that induces the urge to put off working on it for another day. Meanwhile, water keeps flowing out to our neighbors and problems of ownership and operations keep coming up – and even the most dedicated and competent water boards struggle to understand and … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE JUNE 2019

Those of us who were born before the so-called “Digital Revolution” still expect to find important data and information about nearly everything printed on paper. Wellllll, that revolution really happened and now we are all working hard to become “computer literate.” When we needed information or data about our water systems, for example, it once required an actual “voyage of discovery” down to Island County Administration, a “get acquainted” chat over the desk, and the patience to delve through records in every stage of decay. Not so anymore! We are indeed fortunate to have access to digital “Navigators” who can … Continue reading WIWSA President’s Message March 2019

I would be surprised if any of our members missed the news about the earthquake near Anchorage …. and even more surprised if any of our members failed to “make the connection” to our geologically precarious situation here on Whidbey Island.  The experts have warned us about our proximity to the Cascadia Fault nearby under the Pacific Ocean …… not to mention the Juan De Fuca Fault which is right under us!  This week’s Anchorage quake would be a “slap on the wrist” compared to the magnitude of the shaker that we might experience at any time. Over the last … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE December 2018