Port Townsend questions

[empires228]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Scary information, indeed. I don't know what method of watering these Kansas farmers use the most but, what's really freaky is this little tidbit, it may not matter.

In our area mostly center pivot irrigation is used. West of Holcomb all the way to Pueblo Colorado a mix of ditch and center pivot is used. The ditch irrigation is dying out in Eastern Colorado as they're forced to sell their water rights to Colorado Springs. Colorado has already been battling Kansas over the Arkansas River for several decades and Kansas and Nebraska over the Republican. Several of my friends from Colorado believe that if a river starts flowing in Colorado, then the water should be theirs and only theirs to use, so if they want to keep the entire river there they should be allowed too...

[elkotronics]

In our area mostly center pivot irrigation is used. West of Holcomb all the way to Pueblo Colorado a mix of ditch and center pivot is used. The ditch irrigation is dying out in Eastern Colorado as they're forced to sell their water rights to Colorado Springs. Colorado has already been battling Kansas over the Arkansas River for several decades and Kansas and Nebraska over the Republican. Several of my friends from Colorado believe that if a river starts flowing in Colorado, then the water should be theirs and only theirs to use, so if they want to keep the entire river there they should be allowed too...

Thank you for that information, empires228. That is how we all learn more on websites like this. I have seen I believe in Cimarron a center pivot "store" on our way driving to Garden City. Yeah, the locals in Dodge City tell me that they dammed up the Arkansas River a while back. It's totally dry in Dodge City. So I bet we're drawing water from the Ogallalla Acquifer, right?

[Drew8888]

Information about PT water quality & treatment can be found here:

City of Port Townsend Water Quality

There is information on the above web page that clarifies some of the issues presented in this discussion. I am posting three links below which are of particular relevance (note these are direct links to PDF documents).

2015 Port Townsend Annual Drinking Water Report:
http://weblink.cityofpt.us/weblink/0...35020/2015.pdf

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PORT TOWNSEND DRINKING WATER (November2015):
http://www.cityofpt.us/water/docs/waterInfo.pdf

Drinking Water Treatment Facility: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
http://www.cityofpt.us/water/docs/waterFaqs.pdf

Some things I learned from these documents:

1. The Washington State Department of Health deems Port Townsend's water system to be out of "regulatory compliance" due to "inadequate control of the watershed" feeding the system. The key phrase here is regulatory compliance, because the actual water quality meets standards and is not out of compliance.

2. Chlorine is used for water disinfection, not iodine. Taste issues arise due to interaction of the chlorine with naturally occurring organic matter present in the water. Also, chlorine interacts with the organic matter to create disinfection byproducts that are "potentially cancerous" (the levels of these byproducts are below required standards).

3. There is a new membrane-based water treatment facility under construction that is scheduled to go online in October 2016. The membrane will filter out Cryptosporidium and all other particulates > .04 microns (including organic particles). Chlorine will still be added after filtration for a safety buffer and to maintain water system disinfection.

Presumably, when the new filtration plant goes online, water taste issues should improve because there will be less organic matter in the water when it is treated by chlorine, and also because less chlorine should be needed to ensure water safety. These combined reduction of organic content and amount of chlorine should also reduce the levels of "potentially cancerous disinfection byproducts" (which are already below current safety levels). Whether these things pan out remains to be seen.

[bgilman]

We've been considering a move to PT for some time and have found that proximity to necessities, including healthcare posed major problems. I'm wondering if anyone knows how property assessments are calculated, how often, and if property is re-assessed after a purchase.

[UrsusMinor]

I've worked all over the world for decades, but until I read this thread, I had no idea that Port Townsend was the ultimate hellhole on this planet.

I've only been to Port T, many years ago, and only briefly. And since, as one poster emphasized, no one could really understand what it's like by visiting, or even moving there for a month, I guess my impression must have been wildly wrong.

It seemed nice enough, and nicer than, say, Papua New Guinea, or Iraq, or Baltimore. I guess I didn't realize the torments you all had to endure.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by UrsusMinor

I've worked all over the world for decades, but until I read this thread, I had no idea that Port Townsend was the ultimate hellhole on this planet.

I've only been to Port T, many years ago, and only briefly. And since, as one poster emphasized, no one could really understand what it's like by visiting, or even moving there for a month, I guess my impression must have been wildly wrong.

It seemed nice enough, and nicer than, say, Papua New Guinea, or Iraq, or Baltimore. I guess I didn't realize the torments you all had to endure.

lol. Touche. Don't even think about checking out the Bellingham thread (titled: "The Ugly Truth"), if you thought this one was bad.