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Pendleton pivot: water association asks to abandon plant rehab, buy water from nearby town and connect pipeline; commission requests more information
Summary
Pendleton Water Association proposed abandoning a planned plant rehab and instead purchasing water from the town of Manatee (per the transcript) via an interconnection; staff and commissioners said more engineering, a revised rate study and a committed source of match funds (Delta Regional Authority) are required before formal approval.
Pendleton Water Association asked the Water Sector Commission on Sept. 17 to approve a scope change that would abandon an earlier plan to rehabilitate its water treatment plant and instead connect to and purchase water from the nearby town identified in the record as “Manatee.” The revised plan would install a transmission line to interconnect the systems; the project estimate presented was about $3.4 million.
Consultant Mark McCarty (Meyer and Associates) and Gloria Thompson (Pendleton Water Association) told the commission the revised scope reduces capital equipment needs and that the association planned to seek additional match from the Delta Regional Authority. Staff said LDH supports the scope change in principle but that several outstanding items must be resolved before approval: (1) updated engineering and a firm cost estimate for the interconnection, (2) a revised rate study or certification reflecting the lower capital requirements, and (3) a committed source of local match (staff asked for a Delta Regional Authority commitment letter).
Commissioners expressed support for an interconnection approach that could reduce rates and improve reliability, but they declined to make a formal approval at the meeting because the engineering and match commitments were not yet finalized. Chairman Zeringue and others urged the applicant to return at the next meeting with the revised rate study, engineering scope and a letter confirming match funds; staff said time would be of the essence if the commission were to act quickly to keep ARPA funds available.
Ending: Staff will work with Pendleton on revised engineering, a new rate study submission and confirmation of outside match (Delta Regional Authority or other source); the commission will consider a formal scope change once those items are received.
