Where: Duggan Falls, Washington
Issue: Small, rural water systems lack technical, financial and managerial expertise to provide safe drinking water and stay in compliance with regulations
Outcome: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provides training and conducts a rate study to help a small system maintain compliance and ensure sufficient revenues
Duggan Falls is a small, rural water system that serves 46 water connections in Skamania County, Washington. Washington Department of Health (DOH) asked RCAC to help the system transition to a new board of directors and complete the Small Water System Management Program (SWSMP). SWSMP provides system operation guidance and a central location for vital documents such as cross connection control plans, asset inventories, as built maps, articles of incorporation and bylaws.
RCAC was also asked to conduct a water rate study to determine if current revenues were sufficient to maintain financial stability and to assess the economic impact of potential consolidation with the Skamania County Public Utility District.
Between 2015 and 2017, RCAC regularly attended board meetings and assisted the board to function efficiently as a governing body, understand the water system’s regulatory requirements and make changes to increase the system’s financial sustainability, and complete the SWSMP. During this time, staff conducted a water rate study.
With RCAC’s assistance the system conduct a 2016 sanitary survey which found no significant deficiencies ; amended its bylaws to allow funds to be set aside for emergency and capital replacement reserves; set aside $5,000 to establish a reserve fund; set aside $10,000 in the 2017 budget to cover costs for 100 percent system metering as required by Washington State law.
After RCAC completed and presented the utility rate study, the board voted to increase rates by $5 per customer per month in 2017 to ensure revenue sufficiency. The board also made an informed decision not to consolidate with Skamania PUD based on information presented in the rate study; and corrected historical errors in annual Water Use Efficiency reports, a Washington State regulatory requirement.
