We are happy to announce that the final disbursements of over $900,000 in grant money from USDA-RD are being made to PUD for the completion of Phase 3 of the Water Main Cleaning and Lining project, completed this past fall. In addition to the grant money which is not required to be repaid, PUD was also able to secure a USDA loan $1.2 million for the remaining cost of the project at a very low interest rate and 40 year term, making it affordable for our customers who had long been suffering from rusty water events. With the lined water mains and all new valves and hydrants as part of the project, our customers can finally be proud of a much more modern water system. As an added surprise from a request we made to USDA (suggested by PUD’s long time Chairman, Al Palmisciano) and which USDA gladly approved, we will be returning over $14,000 in total from the grant money to our customers in a future bill. This refund is in recognition of the water lost to the cleaning/lining project from water main flushing and bleeding activities as the work was progressing. Thanks for bearing with us under the challenging construction periods which began with Phase 1 in 2017. We appreciate it!