Why I'm supporting Bayview bond
I am encouraging Bayview residents to “VOTE YES” in the upcoming bond election for the Bayview Water System Improvements.
During the Cape Horn Fire, our home was very close to being lost due to LOW WATER PRESSURE and eventually RUNNING OUT OF WATER. That is a very helpless and scary feeling to experience when facing a wildfire event. Thankfully, firefighting enforcements arrived in the nick of time with their own water supplies. If they hadn’t, there was NO AVAILABLE WATER ON DUWAMISH DRIVE to fight the wildfire and stopping it from continuing to blow on its path into Bayview. The reason that we ran out of water is that currently, we have inadequate water storage in the Dromore storage tank. A new storage tank will fix this problem.
The 75-year-old deteriorating Farragut water tank has served its purpose and was originally designed to service Farragut, not Bayview. That’s why we have the need for booster pumps to pump water which is costing the BWSD ratepayers lots of WASTED MONEY and it’s also the reason we have low water pressure in certain areas of Bayview. (There are currently 18 households on Duwamish Drive that experience low water pressure). A new storage tank will fix this problem.
The old leaking lead-packed water lines are not only a health concern but we the ratepayers are paying thousands of dollars to pump millions of gallons of wasted water. A new transmission main line will reduce the leakage and save money.
If the Water System Improvement Bond is not approved, our rates are going to go up regardless, because now that some of these major problems have been identified, the BWSD Board will need to address some of these issues. Let’s be proactive and not wait to find ourselves facing a major system failure and without safe drinking water.
Approving the Bond NOW will give us (the BWSD Ratepayers) the opportunity to receive long-term funding at a very low 1.75 percent interest rate along with over $200,000 of principle forgiveness grant money. I personally cannot think of a better investment and/or opportunity to greatly improve our community water system.
It’s now common knowledge that our water system has some major deficiencies. I think it’s fair to say that the value of our individual residences has been compromised, not to mention that our homeowners insurance will most likely be going up. This is not about scare tactics or fake news — just facts.
It’s time to put whatever animosity and/or opinions we have toward one another aside and INVEST in improving our community water system by “VOTING YES” on May 21 for the Water Improvement Bond.
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Chris Hansen is a longtime Bayview resident.