A failing 60-year-old water main near Cherry Point puts at least $60M on PUD water bills
What happened: The PUD found deterioration at 12 of 13 exposed joints on its 24-inch Douglas Road raw-water line, built in the mid-1960s, and determined it can't be repaired or isolated without risking a rupture. The County Executive declared an emergency Aug. 15 and the PUD Commission confirmed it Aug. 25, waiving competitive bidding. A replacement line along Unick Road is due in service in late November, at about $60M.
Why it matters: The PUD collects no property tax, so the cost goes to bonds repaid through water rates, which the PUD calls "very significant" increases. After the new line opens, the old one shuts for at least 2 years for a rebuild (about $60M), and a second line serving the refineries needs replacing later (about $165M), per Cascadia Daily News. About 25 customers depend on the Douglas line, at least 6 of them homes that use it for drinking water, plus about 1,000 acres of farmland. One PUD commission seat is on the Nov. 3 ballot.
What's next: the PUD's rate decision in its budget review in the coming weeks (no date set) and the new line's opening in late November.