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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for Water Utilities

Court Upholds King County Ordinance Requiring Franchise Compensation for Use of Right-of-Way

Court Upholds King County Ordinance Requiring Franchise Compensation for Use of Right-of-Way

Can a county charge a fee for allowing a utility to use the county’s right-of-way for placement of utility infrastructure? The Washington Supreme Court ruled recently that it can. 

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Can You Keep Yourself in Ice Cubes? – Water and Sewer Affordability

Can You Keep Yourself in Ice Cubes? – Water and Sewer Affordability

Water and sewer utility bills are increasing statewide as cities, counties, and water/sewer districts replace aging infrastructure, increase their resiliency, and comply with new rules. This post considers the impact this may have on utility bills across the state.

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Water Storage Asset Management Bill a Big Win for Small Cities

Water Storage Asset Management Bill a Big Win for Small Cities

New law grants cities and towns the authority to negotiate a fair and reasonable water storage asset management service contract with firms that submit the best proposals for services.

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Rural Demand for Municipal Water Or How a Drought Emergency Can Make You Popular

Rural Demand for Municipal Water Or How a Drought Emergency Can Make You Popular

Planning Advisor Andrew Lane explains how to handle municipal water service requests from homes outside your city or town limits.

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What’s in Your Water Mains?

An article in the April 2014 AWWA Opflow magazine caught my eye, particularly as the City of Longview is featured. The article is entitled: “The New Ice Age: Pigging Effectively Cleans Water and Wastewater Pipelines." First of all, what is a “pig”? For eons, it seems, utilities of all sort have been cleaning the insides of their pipelines with rubber and metal tools of varying degrees of...

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Washington’s New Fire Suppression (Hydrant) Law—SHB 1512

Thanks to concerted and cooperative action by a coalition of public and private water purveyors, cities, counties, trade organizations, and fire fighting agencies (FIRE PALS), Washington now has a new fire suppression (hydrant) law. This new law resolves issues resulting from two court cases,...

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Water Utilities and Fire Hydrants: Legislative Update

The State Legislature has passed legislation (SHB 1512; SSB 5605,) that focuses on "solving" the problem created by the Lane v. City of Seattle decision. This act provides specific guidance and options for water utilities on how to legally recover fire protection costs...

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