SACHEEN LAKE

SEWER & WATER DISTRICT

MINUTES: June 19,2008                                               LOCATION: Sacheen Fire Station

The meeting was called to order at 4: 1 0 by Chairman Ron Schmidt. Commissioner Storms was absent. The minutes of the June 2 meeting were read and approved with the following exceptions:

·         Rich Prange informed the Board that it was not DOE that was doing the water survey last year but the EP A

o        There is confusion as to whether Sacheen is or is not Class 5 Designation. Dave Lamb had spoken about. (Sheila will attach previous research Dave has done on this and attach to minutes)

·         Jill Short comments that she had questioned the Board regarding repayment of the PWTF for the Comprehensive Plan

SEWELL ENGINEERING:

A list of questions was presented to Eric and Andy:

1. What information is included in the Facility Plan? The Facility Plan chooses one option and is based on that option chosen with property, treatment option. Our Comp Plan was formulated so that it could easily be converted into a Facility Plan by making those choices.

2. Where do you start construction? At the plant or in the residential yard? Typically a project will have 3 separate schedules

A.   Treatment Plant and Land

B.    Collection System

C. Onsite improvements

Could have different contractors for each but may not be ideal. Like to keep the money and work local if can by using local contractors. Would usually see A & B done concurrently with the collection system being done first. Treatment plant would probably take longer. When both A & B are done, then do onsite work so homes can be put online immediately. Onsite work may ruin the present system that is in place so want to have switched over immediately. Old drainfields will be left in place but septic tanks will be crushed and filled with rock to prevent collapse or accidents at later date. Project costs would cover returning yards to original conditions.

3. How long will residents be without their septic tank? Realistically we cannot expect people to not be able to use their home for any length of time. Probably no more that 8 hours or one day.

4. Do you really think we can start in 2009? At the rate we have been going NO! The Board is taking long time to make decisions and not making decisions. Immediately after the Facility Plan is complete we can go for funding, design, and then construction possibly beginning in late 2009 . We have to have facility plan to apply for funding. The next step is to determine what are is to be sewered. Jan notes that we now have 75% return on East Shore survey with 30 Yes and 6 No *82% yes

5. How will we respond to the rest of the lake residents if we start construction with a Phase I? Can we immediately start another LID? Realistically it is unlikely to be successful with more

than one project being done at a time. If going in phases would recommend completion of Phase 1 before beginning Phase 2. That would probably put a Phase 2 out four to five years.

Could we adapt a facility plan for a Phase 2 according to what is learned from Phase I? Yes in that flow rates would be more defmed with data from the first phase.

6. If we build Phase 1, would we be able to add the rest of the lake to the facility? If we were to build a Phase 1 would design it so it could easily accommodate a Phase 2 would probably want to plan in advance for it in the design. If2 separate treatment sites were used, there are additional costs that are doubled.

7. Do you think we should have general meetings or neighborhood meetings? Both large and small meetings are valuable, it is the Board's decision to make. Most important is keeping everyone informed so no one is left out. Could adjust the meeting times and locations to accommodate more people. Make sure that everyone can attend any meeting.

8. Do we have separate meetings for those who are already in the Terrace LID and then the others? Again, the more people with more information the better.

9. There is concern that a sewer system will allow the lake population to increase. How can we control growth with a sewer system? We may see a slight flurry of activity in presently unbuildable lots but after that control is by building the facility to serve only those in the District. 10. Do you recommend that we take Sacheen Lake Estates out of the Sewer District? Eric recommends not putting them into the LID as the lots in SLE are large enough (4-5 acres) to support septic systems. Eric believes the number that we will need to design for is around 500. Jan expressed concern about leaving SLE out of the service area. Eric suggests he would have more concern over an attempt to de-annex SLE than leaving them unserved.

11. Should we sewer the Myers/Harter Sanctuary since they have no water? Eric recommends that we at least stub up to the park in case water service were to come in. Jan comments that growth management in the county is presently being controlled by the ability to provide water service as water rights are very difficult to obtain.

12. There are three areas on the lake that are not within the District boundaries, can the District annex them and can they be put into an LID? The District can go through a process to annex them, but according to Mike Ormsby it is best that they be willing to be annexed. To be placed in an LID would require their consent since they are not part of the District.

13. How many hookups, without overloading the system, can the 39 acres serve? What capacity is added with the additional 20 acres? Sewell is confident that 280 summer homes and 80 winter homes is a very conservative number as the numbers given to Sheila Pochernegg to use for modeling were very conservative. We need more information on the extra 20 acres before we can determine a true number that the whole parcel will serve. The Aeromod system has documentation that they get much lower nitrate loading which also makes our model more conservative. We need to use good science, engineering and monitoring. Andy recently spoke with a Utilities Engineer and he says that even for residential connections of older homes, they do not go to the 300gpd flow. Newer homes have lower flow fixtures that further reduce system input.

14, 15, 16. What are the costs for the Terrace only? Phase 1 of Terrace, East Shore and Kohles Beach? The whole lake? Many variables have recently changed and finite costs have not been determined. (As it stands, a tentative estimate has been assumed of approx. $17K per hook up). More accurate numbers can be developed with the facility plan and knowing what areas and how many homes will be served to share the costs. What costs are covered by the project? We would like to costs will be included is also a consideration. Eric suggests that all costs be covered in the project funding including electric, plumbing, landscape etc. Whether the District will request an

up front connection fee or not is yet to be determined. These fees are often used to provide working capital and assist with funding.

17. Describe the currently proposed system.

Gravity fed E-l pump station with a tank that is about 3' x 5' is plumbed to the house Try to serve more than one home to a pump to reduce costs.

Power for pump comes out of only 1 home

1 1/4 "- 1 12" line goes to pipeline at road.

Pipeline along road 2-6" for transmission line to treatment site

Aeromod mechanical treatment site where sludge sewage is agitated and aerated Building at treatment site would house mechanics and gauges

Winter months use subsurface absorption beds or seepage beds.

Summer months above ground sprinkler system with heads probably fixed with risers that can be drained in the winter.

System would be shielded from the road

Should be no doers as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels are brought down low The advanced organic reduction will inherently bring better removal of nutrients

18. Can the District give a break to newer systems to "reward" the fact they've been proactive? Eric recommends that if it is possible to use a portion of a system already in place that the homeowner should get a break. This would likely be using the pump chamber of a newer tank to house the E-l pump. There would be compatibility requirements such as pump chamber, plumbing, electric and discharge line, but he can calculate portions that are usable and price them out to base a reduction in cost.

19. Will I need a separate breaker in my power box for this system? Yes you will need a separate breaker, probably 20 amp

20. Are the pumps 110 or 220? Can use 110 but typically prefer using a 220 if possible. Motors are 1 hp in the E-l pump so should be easily run on 110

21. Does the property owner or the engineer have final say about where the pump goes? The property owner has final say but the Engineer will make a recommendation for best placement. Want gravity feed, to avoid bedrock, least disruption of landscaping etc. If the property owner is adamant that the pump be placed where it cannot be gravity fed, then the home owner would be required to install sump pump in house.

Does having multiple homes on 1 pump save money? Approximately $5,000 per pump. Electricity to run pump is $2-$4 per month. One consideration is when two homes served by one pump, then neighbor who supplies electricity needs to make sure it stays on for the other home. 22. What happens to the existing septic tanks, dry wells, and drain fields? Septic tank lids are crushed and filled in with rock to avoid later collapse. Drainfields are just abandoned.

23. What surrounds the E-l pump? The pump is submerged in a poly-ethylene casement that is strong enough to drive a tractor or possibly a car over

24. Some are worried that the installation will cause sediment, bank erosion, removal of trees, and construction congestion for several years. Can you tell us if those fears are true or if they can be answered. Onsite improvement disruption will happen, but locating the pump in a place that has as little disruption as possible with remediation will be our responsibility. If use sod you probably would not even see it in a month or two. By using sod it would also help prevent erosion. Silt fences would be used to prevent migration of soils. Would also have to have a storm water management plan in place with DOE

25. What policies do sewer districts usually formulate about combining lots? There are two ways districts usually allow lot combinations.

A. Not allowed unless done through the local government to officially make the lot line disappear. This may cost several thousand dollars.

B. Agreement between the property owner and the District that is filed with the county that would not allow for separation, even when property sells.

26. If folks do not hook up at the time of installation, what happens when they want to hook up later? The District may want to designate different assessments for those lots that do not currently have a structure to hook up to. When connect at a later date, then they pay for the installation and connection? The District will need to look at this issue.

27. If I have three lots and want to keep them separate so I can sell them as three lots later, will I have to hook up all three? Would not be required to hook up a lot that is undeveloped, but would still have an assessment. Assessments can be different depending on whether on site improvements installed or not. This will be a board decision.

28. Can Ijust have a stub to the property line and then sell the other lots like that later? If there are no improvements on a lot it can just be stubbed to the property.

29. If! combine lots into one now and only have one hookup, what would happen if! want to separate them when I sell out so I can make more money? The idea is that you cannot sell the lot with service. But the reality is that County restrictions will make it very difficult if not impossible to separate them later.

30. Is this decision about combining lots or hooking all up irreversible? Eric says yes, but things can possibly change in the future. Also County requirements need to be considered.

31. If I want to be able to sell three lots later, I have to pay for three hookups now which will be an estimated $80 per month for each ($240) plus $20 for the one I will be using now as maintenance and operations for a total of $260 per month? Yes, based on current estimates. But also whether assessments are based on on-site improvements up front or not.

32. If! sell my property after I have the sewer system, no new owner can then divide the property I have combined into one piece with only one hookup? No, from a planning standpoint and as long as County requirements are in place and the board holds firm.

33. Would I be able to add a cabin or garage apartment with water and sewer to the one hookup I have on the same lot? Eric recommends no. Each home or dwelling should have its own connection, but that will be a District decision.

- Surface of the pump system would most likely be at grass level, much like a sprinkler control unit so that a lawnmower might be able to go right over the top.

- If two homes are served by one pump system and one home has a generator, it should be that home that has the pumps electrical connection.

- Need to consider who you may be sharing a pump with, but costs greatly reduced by sharing.

- Donna Lands expressed her concern regarding odor and hydrogen sulfite that can be present if a

system is not working properly. Her understanding is that when hydrogen sulfite levels get too high they cannot be smelled and can cause serious health concerns. Andy explained that these high levels happen in anaerobic situations in contained vessels. The Aeromod system is based on an aerobic environment.

- Andy anticipates having barometric controls that monitor temperatures, rain, and wind levels that will shut the sprinklers off under adverse conditions. We will be very aware and concerned about the spray not migrating onto or across Hwy 211.

- By keeping a high level of aeration in the system we keep the nitrate levels as low as we can.

- With the Aeromod system there is not much storage once treatment is complete.

- Absorption beds will probably be sprayed during the summer season. Very little effluent goes

below root level during the growing season so the bed still "rests" before we return to winter use.