Category: President’s Message
Jim Patton with Award for Service to WIWSA
“Folks — Randi — escorted by Sam — safely delivered my award for WIWSA service and I will treasure it …….. THANK YOU! Just not sure whether I will have to rotate it on the shelf with my award from the State DOH — or build another shelf! I look forward to attending future quarterly WIWSA meetings as a representative of my WBRA water system as you guide all “the troops” to clean drinking water. Warmest regards and Happy New Year, Jim” Continue reading Jim Patton with Award for Service to WIWSA
Calling Group B Water Systems
Whidbey Island Water Systems Association has a vacancy for a board member After years of great service to the association, past president Jim Patton is stepping down from the board to focus on running his own water system. This leaves us with a vacancy on the board, and we are looking for volunteers or nominations. We’d like to fill the position at the December 2020 member meeting. You do not have to be an expert, just energetic with the willingness to learn and assist with board duties including attendance at monthly board meetings and the quarterly member meetings and at … Continue reading Calling Group B Water Systems
Sticky post
Welcome!
Welcome to Whidbey Island Water Systems Association, a resource for all who drink water on Whidbey Island! Our members are Municipal, Group A, and Group B water systems, private well owners, and the operators, engineers, and others who serve those water systems. Our quarterly member meeting are currently held via Zoom. The meeting invitation will be sent via our email list only. You must be a subscriber to the email list to receive the invitation email. Click here to subscribe! Continue reading Welcome!
Note from Jim Patton
Jim Patton has stepped down as President of WIWSA. He has sent us this note to share with the membership: Although I have retired as President of WIWSA and it looks like I will miss at least a few quarterly meetings this year, I would like our members to know that I will be following the important work of our association and will always be available by telephone and email. We have all benefited from the knowledge and experience of our Board’s leadership team. Working closely with the water systems regulators at Island County and the State Office of Drinking … Continue reading Note from Jim Patton
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE December 2019 THE HOME STRETCH!
At the beginning of this year, our WIWSA Board of Directors decided to do more than encourage our members to complete their Small Water Systems Management Programs (SWSMPs). We dedicated our June and September Quarterly Members’ Meetings to focus on the first two of the three components of the SWSMP: Chapter One, Managerial Capacity, and Chapter Two, Technical Capacity and we provided copies of the 82-page Guide for completing a SWSMP (DOH Document #331-134), along with suitable loose-leaf binders. The enthusiastic response from our members showed that we were on the right track. Now, we are dedicating our December Quarterly … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE December 2019 THE HOME STRETCH!
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2019
Perhaps the most “onerous” task for the board of any Group A community water system is the preparation of the Small Water Systems Management Program that is required by the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-290-105). In fact, there is nothing really complicated about putting together a SWSMP …. but it covers so many aspects of operating and maintaining a water system that board members feel swamped …… and that leads to putting off the task until the Office of Drinking Water conducts a Sanitary Survey and discovers that the required document isn’t complete or doesn’t exist at all. At the … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 2019
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE JUNE 2019
Every year, we receive many questions from our members about the Small Water Systems Management Program (SWSMP) that the State requires (Washington Administrative Code 246-290-105) of all Group A systems. Indeed, when you pull up the official Guide for preparing the SWSMP on your computer it does seem overwhelming (82 pages !!!! for Heaven’s sake) and that induces the urge to put off working on it for another day. Meanwhile, water keeps flowing out to our neighbors and problems of ownership and operations keep coming up – and even the most dedicated and competent water boards struggle to understand and … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE JUNE 2019
WIWSA President’s Message March 2019
Those of us who were born before the so-called “Digital Revolution” still expect to find important data and information about nearly everything printed on paper. Wellllll, that revolution really happened and now we are all working hard to become “computer literate.” When we needed information or data about our water systems, for example, it once required an actual “voyage of discovery” down to Island County Administration, a “get acquainted” chat over the desk, and the patience to delve through records in every stage of decay. Not so anymore! We are indeed fortunate to have access to digital “Navigators” who can … Continue reading WIWSA President’s Message March 2019
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE December 2018
I would be surprised if any of our members missed the news about the earthquake near Anchorage …. and even more surprised if any of our members failed to “make the connection” to our geologically precarious situation here on Whidbey Island. The experts have warned us about our proximity to the Cascadia Fault nearby under the Pacific Ocean …… not to mention the Juan De Fuca Fault which is right under us! This week’s Anchorage quake would be a “slap on the wrist” compared to the magnitude of the shaker that we might experience at any time. Over the last … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE December 2018
President’s Message – September 2018
Our regular Quarterly Members’ Meetings have always been well attended and, I hope, have always provided information and advice helpful to our members. We do get feedback after the meetings and we are grateful for the guidance and encouragement we receive from those who share those four evenings a year with us. In the dozen weeks between meetings we listen carefully to questions and expressions of concern from our members and that helps us to choose the themes and speakers for our next meeting. In the last several weeks we have responded to more than a few questions about how … Continue reading President’s Message – September 2018
President’s Message, June 2018
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE June 2018 I made three points in my last Water News message That we would be emailing the Water News to you in digital format from now on (saving money for printing and postage); That we would be meeting at the Coupeville Library at 788 NW Alexander Street in Coupeville from now on (the Race Road Fire Station is being renovated); and That we have drafted an update of our Bylaws and hope that you will study them and give us a vote to approve them. Please do come to our Quarterly Members’ Meeting ready to discuss … Continue reading President’s Message, June 2018
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE March 2018
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE March 2018 First of all, three “housekeeping” details. One, this quarter’s Water News will be the last paper & mailed version of our quarterly Water News. At our last membership meeting, almost all attendees voted to change to an email version and we will be communicating with you “digitally” from now on. Two, our next quarterly members’ meeting – 5:00 to 7:00 pm on March 21st – will be the last meeting at the Race Road Fire Station for this year. The station will be getting a “top to bottom” renovation beginning this spring so we will … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE March 2018
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – DECEMBER, 2017
Many of our members will recall that we committed a quarterly members’ meeting last year to the subject of water ownership in our state. Since then, we have focused on other topics but recently we have received questions from more than a few members about the responsibilities and legal obligations of Home Owner Associations and other communities that purvey drinking water to their members. There is definitely some confusion about this subject so we will dedicate our quarterly members’ meeting on December 6th to give it the clarification that it deserves. Once again, the leadership and staff of our State … Continue reading WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – DECEMBER, 2017
President’s Message – Back to School!
WIWSA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE SEPTEMBER, 2017 BACK TO SCHOOL! I think that we have all been watching the natural disasters unfold down in Texas and Florida … and most of us have asked ourselves how well prepared we are to cope with some sort of disaster here on Whidbey Island. Very, very fortunately, history shows that we have little to fear from hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts or blizzards …… BUT, the geologists have frequently reminded us that we are probably overdue for an earthquake of some severity. It has been some time since we have devoted a WIWSA quarterly members meeting to … Continue reading President’s Message – Back to School!