Distribution System

The majority of this system is 6-inch and 8 inch diameter water pipe. The pipe is fed by a transmission line that is 12 inches and larger, up to 24 inches in diameter. There are three reservoirs in town that store a total of 7.25 million gallons. This storage is used to smooth out peak flows and provide additional volume for fire fighting and emergencies. The reservoirs are located at SE 19th, NE 20th and Surf and Roads End. There are 5 pump stations that boost pressure up to higher elevations in town. All of the reservoirs and booster pump station status is monitored at the water treatment plant SCADA system and the Central Control Panel. When the water line passes a residence that requires service, a typical ¾ inch plastic water line is attached and a meter is placed near the property line. Plastics are used primarily in the distribution and service system. This material is more resistant to failure from corrosive attack from the soils and is certainly rust free. The use of plastics is the most cost-effective material in our geographic location. Primarily six people maintain the distribution system. They routinely install new water services, flush the system to maintain fresh water quality, paint fire hydrants and fix leaks.

Meter Reading

Each and every meter is read once monthly for billing purposes. The residence is then billed for that usage after the fact. That means that a residence’s monthly billing will be based upon the monthly usage that was read during that bill's reading cycle. The meter reader is very conscientious and looks for leaks so that the residence can be alerted of any potential problem. This may save the residence unnecessary cost and certainly preserves the natural resource of our source water. The last count of water meters in the system was 6,188. Each meter is checked and has on its register a leak detection indicator. Each meter also has a warranty for accuracy.

In 1997, a program was initiated to replace every meter in the system. This means that every meter is practically new and should be registering correctly.

3 Reservoirs in Town Store 7.25 Million Gallons

The 4.25 million gallon Roads End and 2 million gallon SE 19th St reservoirs supply water to services from sea level to 160ft elevation. The NE Surf reservoir holds 1 million gallons and serves a higher elevation separate from the other two. The purpose of the reservoirs is to help maintain a constant system of pressure, provide water for emergencies, fire protection and ease maximum hourly demand. This allows the water treatment plant to operate at a constant flow rate instead of continually increasing or decreasing flow to match demand. The Roads End and SE 19th St reservoirs are constructed of CORTEN® steel also knows as weathering steel. The chemical composition causes a thin layer of rust to form on the surface increasing resistance to corrosion from atmospheric conditions.