Fall Newsletter

This is our second quarterly newsletter for Scenic Properties Water Association! It is our hope to share information as we all work together to protect and maintain access to clean drinking water.

We have also set up our new website! You can find files and information about our water association at https://scenicproperties.org

Pick up all hoses and sprinklers. Make sure you have turned everything off and fully drained the system.

Remove any backflow preventers or vacuum breakers that have been installed on ouside water faucets. These can cause water to not fully drain and freeze during winter months.

Check your home for pipes in areas that might be prone to freezing, such as crawl spaces, unheated rooms, basements, garages, and exterior walls. Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by closing off crawl spaces, fixing drafty windows, insulating walls and attics, and plugging drafts around doors.

Any exposed pipe that runs along a wall or is in an unheated area (a basement or a crawl space, for example) is a potential hazard. The water inside can freeze and cause the pipe to burst when temperatures drop below 32 F. Our area will frequently have periods of time where the temperature stays below 32 degrees for multiple days.

Know where to turn off the water to your property and house. If you are planning on being gone for the entire winter or an extended period of time, turn off the water supply using your stand-up valve. Some SPWA and property cutoffs are being marked with snow markers this year to more easily locate the valves when there is snow on the ground. If you do not know where your valve is, contact a board member and they can help you locate it.

During the winter months, make routine checks on your home and property. If you are out of state, or unable to check on your property for an extended period of time, consider asking a neighbor or SPWA Board Member to check on your property throughout the winter months.

Keep an eye on the weather! During big snow events or extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures, make arrangements to check on your property and home if you are not living in the home full-time. Consider adding wifi thermostats, weather stations, and security cameras if you are not able to be there consistently. Here is a link to a weather station located in Scenic Properties - https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/id/lowman/KIDLOWMA6

You can also check Idaho Power's website for outages:

Idaho Power Outage Map

If you use a wood-burning fireplace more than six times a year, you should have it professionally cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep annually. Otherwise, built-up creosote and soot can ignite causing a house fire.

At the beginning of winter, have an HVAC company check your furnace to make sure it is operating correctly.

Replace batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

If you rely upon a generator for use during a power outage, be sure to start it now to assure it is working properly, and have fuel on hand.

When running a generator, keep it outside and at least 10 feet from your home. Keep it away from windows and make sure exhaust is not making its way into the home. Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector that is installed and working properly.

NEVER use a stove/oven to heat your home, and NEVER let your vehicle run in an unventilated or closed garage.

As soon as you notice a leak or unusually wet area, contact a board member. They can help you determine if the leak is on your property and your responsibility, or if it is part of our community system. Please contact a board member before beginning any repairs. You can email them at spwaassociation@gmail.com.

Lead and Copper Survey

Late Fees for 2024 and moving forward will be:

• Bills will be sent in January and will be due April 15.
• 1st Late Notice sent May 15 - $25 late fee
• 2nd Notice sent June 15 - additional $25 late fee
• 3rd Notice sent July 15 - additional $25 fee, notice that water will be turned off on Sept 1
• 4th (Final) Notice sent Aug 15 - additional $25 fee, Final notice (between 7 and 21 days) that water will be locked and a lien will be filed on the property.
• Fee to Reconnect to the system after it has been shut off is $400.

Board members will be walking through the subdivisions to install snow markers. They are 48 inch fiberglass poles that will help us find cutoff and isolation valves.

Remember to remove your backflow preventers for the winter months!

Leaving them on outside hydrants could cause faucets to freeze and break with our cold temperatures.

Between September 9 and October 21, we used 788,958 gallons of water. This means that we used 18, 860 gallons of water per day during this time period.

Between November 8 and November 16, we used 165,763 gallons of water. This means that we used 20,774 gallons per day. During a typical week in October/November in 2021 and 2022 we used 16,000-25,000 gallons per day.

This is why we actively monitor flow rates from the spring and the well, as well as system demand throughout the year - it helps us identify leaks. Our Water Operator and Board members are currently looking for any evidence of a leak. If you notice any unusually wet ground please notify a board member.

Minutes from the Annual Meeting on June 17, 2023.

Our next Annual Meeting is tentatively scheduled for late June 2024.

The SPWA Board will be meeting in December. If you have any questions or concerns, please email spwaassociation@gmail.com.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook! You can connect with other neighbors in Scenic Properties, and see updates on projects we are working on.

Facebook Page