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Port Ludlow utility plans May ice-pigging campaign to clear brown water from mains
Summary
Olympic Water & Sewer will conduct ice pigging starting May 5 to remove decades of iron and manganese deposits from Port Ludlow mains; the UTC approved a 70/30 surcharge split and daily geofenced alerts will notify residents in affected neighborhoods.
Port Ludlow Village Council hosted a presentation by Olympic Water & Sewer about an ice pigging project intended to reduce recurring brown/colored water in the community. Jason White, vice president of Olympic Water & Sewer, said the work "is going to take place throughout the entire month of May and possibly the 1st week of June."
White told attendees the utility began chlorinating the system in 2021 after bacterial hits, which altered water chemistry and oxidized decades of iron and manganese deposits inside mains. He said documented complaints from 2022–2024 included 83 color reports and four for taste or odor, and that repeated flushing consumed substantial staff time. White described ice pigging as an alternative to replacing mains, noting replacement costs of roughly $1–2 million per mile versus the lower per-foot cost of ice pigging.
The UTC approved the project and a surcharge allowing Olympic Water & Sewer to recover most costs from customers over time. White said the commission allowed staged collection so year one carries no interest and a modest recoupment (with interest) can occur in year two. Residents were urged to sign up for AlertMedia notifications and to check the project maps posted on the utility and village council websites to see daily insertion and discharge points.
