20070322Comment.pdf

.---- -,,
i: ,:. i
' '
33588 North Kelso Drive
Spirit Lake, Idaho 83869
March 21 2006
,or C '' i! '"
~ ?
feJ\ 8: \ \
LDU li)A I- ",.1..-
, "
'I. 't. I'l
' ,
1 " "
,. \ '~ ,,' ,'. '
" co i""
\j,:~;,~,~"
1'::'0
n LIT \ t:~.) 'VU ,,",'
Spirit Lake East Water Company
15807 East Indiana Avenue
Spokane Valley, Washington 99216
Dear Sirs:
RE: WATER OUTAGE MARCH 15,2007
In regard to the recent outage, I wish to express my appreciation for the notification we
received on the outage. Although I received several telephone calls advising me to call the
Department of Environmental Quality to report the inconvenience, I chose not to do so.
As an Engineer, I recall that this pump was replaced a little over two years ago and
probably should have attained a service life of approximately five years under normal usage.
SLEWCD's response to the outage was prompt and service was restored within a reasonable time
frame. The inconvenience was acceptable under the circumstances. The argument for
redundancy is well taken, however, in a relatively simple system like this, is it really necessary
when replacement is reasonably available and timely?
I would also like to express my appreciation to the Company in making cases of bottled
water available without charge to the residents in the interim. I don t recall in my service with
the City of Spokane that we ever did likewise. In most cases requiring chlorinating, the
resumption of water service within 72 hours was a goal to be achieved.
As you k110W, I PAve expressed my concern regarding the possible future of the water
system serving the Spirit Lake, East and Treeport Communities at some length. I certainly don
wish to see what I view as a simple mechanical problem raised to a catastrophic event by some of
our more voluble residents.
Robert A. Costigan
cc: PUC Case No.SPL -06-