In the work session proceeding its regular board meeting the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners met with the Westport Water Association to discuss the damage to their water system that has caused residents to be under a boil-water-order since December 2007. Commissioner Sam Patrick asked that the work session be called in order for the county to understand the scope of the problem. Flooding caused by the December storm has not only clogged the dam that supplies the association’s water, it has also destroyed the road leading to the dam. According to the Association’s president, Dave Hill, the high cost of repairs coupled with the continual debris problems at the dam has caused the association to consider partnering with the nearby Wauna Water District with the objective being to tap one of the district’s unused springs for its water source.
An immediate “fix” to the problem would cost approximately $110,000- $160,000 to bring the spring online, providing good water from the tap for residents. Commissioner Hazen asked what the costs would be for the entire project. Hill said it was estimated that the costs would be approximately $300,000 and would include upgrading the 100,000-gallon water tank, repairing the main road leading to the tank, installing new pumps and supplying electrical service to power them.
The money being asked for could come from the Georgia-Pacific tax penalty payment. Commissioner Patrick argued that the whole project should be paid for before recreational facilities are considered. Other commissioners wanted clarification from county counsel as to how the money could be used as there were special conditions associated with it regarding what the money could be used for and where it could be used. County counsel, Heather Reynolds, stated that the money could not be given to a non-profit organization, however, if the association joined with Wauna Water District then the money could be given to district. Commissioner Hazen wanted to know if the money could lent out rather than given as a grant. Reynolds wasn’t sure and would check to see if that was a possibility.
Oregon Economic and Community Development Division (OECDD) representatives also attended the meeting, providing input as to what would be expected from the association/district if they wanted help from OECDD. The Safe Drinking Water Loan program offered through OECDD is one of the types of financing options that may be available. Each federal fiscal year, US EPA makes funds (as grants) available to states for the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, a low interest loan program designed to finance drinking water system improvements needed to maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Oregon’s grant request process begins by identifying and collecting information about current Oregon drinking water system project improvement needs. All projects identified with a Letter of Interest form will be used to create a list of drinking water system needs. That list of projects and estimated project financing is submitted to the EPA in Oregon’s grant request to show how Oregon intends to use its grant allotment for that year. Only projects identified by a Letter of Interest submitted in this way are financed by the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund. OECDD suggested that one of the ways that the BOCC could help the association would be with the Letter of Interest.
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