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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2018)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JUNE 20, 2018 EPUD from A1 77 percent of customers who have seen a rate decrease from tiered rates. On the other hand, we need to address the valid concerns of customers hard hit by the third-tier rate,” said Kev- in Parrish, EPUD board presi- ADVISORY from A1 draw in-home water directly from the aff ected area use an alternative water source due to the inability of private treat- ment systems to remove algae toxins. Public treatment water sys- tems, according to OHA, can reduce the toxin through prop- er fi ltration and disinfection. Th e Cottage Grove City man- ager’s offi ce referred questions to the Row River water treat- 10A dent. In a statement released on Th ursday, the utility said it planned “intensive outreach” to customers who are impacted by the third-tier price tag. Under the tiered-rate system, customers who use between one and 600 kilowatt hours are charged .069 cents per kilowatt hour. Th ose who use between 601 kWh and 1,800 kWh are charged .0796 cents, equiv- alent to EPUD’s fl at rate in 2017. Th ose who use more than 1,8001 kWh pay .1089 cents. Earlier this year, EPUD pub- lic relations coordinator Pat- ty Jo Angelini noted that the tiered-rate system was part of a larger eff ort to encourage ener- gy conservation and that EPUD had several programs in place to help customers contend with higher bills during the winter months. She also noted that the tiered- rate system was not the sole cause of jumps in bills during the winter months stating that bills always show an increase during the winter as customers being using their heating sys- tems — some of which she said were ineffi cient. “We want to know what we can do as a utility to help our customers use less energy,” Par- rish said in the statement. “Es- pecially in the winter, and avoid higher bills.” According to EPUD, the de- cision to continue the tiered- rate system followed discussion between the board, staff and a citizen advisory committee that met twice prior to providing a recommendation to the board of directors. ment facility’s superintendent Ray Pardee. “Drinking water is safe,” Pardee said. “We are testing the water that we bring to the water treatment plant from the Row River that comes from Dorena Reservoir and the tests we have done so far have not detected any of the toxins the bloom could produce.” Recreational visitors were advised to be alert and to avoid areas with visible scum that appears foamy, thick or that is pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red in color. “People should avoid swim- ming and high-speed water ac- tivities such as water skiing or power boating, in areas where blooms are identifi ed. Although toxins are not ab- sorbed through the skin, peo- ple who have skin sensitivities may experience a puff y red rash at the aff ected area,” the press release read. Offi cials also advised that individuals not drink water di- rectly from Dorena Reservoir or eat fresh fi sh caught in its waters. During the June 11 city coun- cil meeting, Cottage Grove City Manager Richard Meyers told the board that the city would be testing water coming from Dorena at the intake of the Row River treatment facility every week, citing the no-drinking orders issued in Salem over the last month aft er offi cials dis- covered cyanotoxin in the pub- lic drinking water. Meyers informed the board that the toxin had been found in Dorena Reservoir in the past and that the city was exploring options should the algae be detected in the city’s drinking water due to the possibility that the current treatment process used at the city’s facility could cause additional toxins to be released from the algae if it is present. “I think what he’s (Meyer) re- ferring to is the harmful bloom cells,” Pardee said. “Th at if they contain toxins and it enters the intake and comes to the treat- ment plant, we do use a process called oxidation and it could reputrue the intact algae cells and if those cells contained tox- ins, it would release the toxins in the water and it would con- centrate the toxin in the water. A lot of ifs.” Pardee said if the toxins were detected, the treatment facility would halt the oxidation pro- cess and make adjustments to the treatment process. All of these pets are looking for their forever home... 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