I. President’s Corner

The state of our water system is good. We have 8 wells at 6 water stations that provide a sufficient and resilient water supply for almost 800 homes and businesses. Our water supply continues to pass all mandatory water quality standards. In addition to all the older standard tests, our water was recently tested for PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, potential pollutants of recent concern) and found to have no detectable levels.

In recent years, due to the age of our system, leaks and other similar maintenance issues have come to dominate our budget. Most of these leaks are on smaller 2 inch or less lines servicing side streets. Consequently, a year ago we raised water rates to provide enough funds to start pro-active replacement of areas with frequent problems. I am pleased to report that we have finished our first such project, and are planning another before winter sets in. There are over 50 street segments that need done.

Financially, the Co-op is in good shape as well, with income from water fees and advertising roughly balancing costs, and with a healthy reserve in the event a catastrophic failure requires a large outlay. We are in the process of seeking MDE state grant/loan funds for a full replacement project going forward instead of just a few replacements a year.

The business model for the Co-op has changed over the last few years. Formerly, Dennis DiBello's company provided all the services to the Co-op, including the Superintendent, who was Dennis himself. This year, Jim Stone has become a certified water superintendent, and has taken over that position from Dennis, who has moved his home, but not his business, out of state. Many of you have become acquainted with Jim working in the neighborhood in the recent past two years. Dennis continues to provide the overall business administration of the Co-op, with the repairs contracted out to local plumbers. Jim provides the management and coordination of the repair work.

I thank Dennis and his staff, Cheryl Houchen, Debbie Simmons, Michael Clarke, Kenny Grover and more for their excellent service to us, Jim Stone for taking on the Superintendent position, and the remainder of the Board of Directors for their continued input and support. We are always looking for potential new board members; the board requires 4-7 members. We welcome interest in this matter.

The next annual meeting of the Co-op is scheduled for 3:00pm, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023 at the Long Beach Civic Association building. I hope to see you there.

II. Water System Operations, Maintenance & Improvements

Welcome to Summer 2023.

Since my last article I've certified Water Superintendent as required by the state of Maryland accountable for Operations and Maintenance. I continue to be focused on the Operations and Maintenance aspects of the Beaches Water Co-op system. I also continue to look forward to supporting BWC and you in our quest for providing co-op members with safe, clean, and reliable water service year-round.

As with any utility, system age and wear and tear take its toll. While our above ground infrastructure is relatively new, our water mains and associated valves need replacing. Most of this piping is 60-70 years old. That said, this is costly but work that must be done. Our plan of approach to obtaining monies is two-fold. First, we are assigning our annual capital budget monies to replace old piping in one or more priority streets per year. Just recently we upgraded a portion of Douglas St. with new main and service lines since that was an area of high water leaks. I'm confident another street can be upgraded this year. Secondly, we have applied for the MDE's Office of Budget and Infrastructure Financing, Water Infrastructure Financing. This will be a good chance to accelerate piping replacement starting with streets that exhibit numerous leaks and doing a full project. MDE's finance office intends to release the draft FFY23/SFY25 Project Priority Lists and Intended Use Plan documents by the end of June for a 30-day public comment period.

As a proponent of continuous improvement and in support of saving water I ask all to conserve water, especially now that summer is upon us. For inside water use, we provide at cost shower heads, shower wands, and faucet aerators designed to be more efficient to aid in conserving water use. For outside water use, consider irrigating your yard before the sun rises to minimize water evaporation. Anything to save water is a good thing and reduces your cost.

If you have any questions about the Operation or Maintenance of the BWC system, please give us a call.

V/R,

Jim Stone
Superintendent

III. Financials & Water Rates

The table below reflects the rate increase for fiscal year 2023-2024.

BEACHES WATER CO-OP CUSTOMER WEB PORTAL

• One-step secure bill payment with "Quick Pay"
• Credit cards, Debit cards and ACH Bank Draft Payments
• Sign up for recurring payments
• Use the electronic wallet feature to store payment methods (secured)
• Sign up for paperless services via email
• Manage your account settings

Visit our website @ www.beacheswater.com and click on the Make a Payment / Customer Portal link to set-up your account.

We encourage our customers to review their bill in its entirety - Did you know that the meters are so sensitive that they can detect a possible water leak, a dripping faucet or something that is running continuously? In these events **Meter Indicates a Possible Leak** will appear on your bill. We also have Company Notes on your bill with useful tips and information each month.

2022 Annual Water Quality & Consumer Confidence Report

Our drinking water is safe and meets all federal and state requirements for community drinking water. In 2022, there were no water quality violations.

Annual Water Quality Report for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2022

This report is intended to provide you with important information about your drinking water and the efforts made by the water system to provide safe drinking water.

The source of drinking water used by BEACHES WATER CO-OPERATIVE is Ground Water: Nanjemoy and Aquia confined aquifers.

Este informe contiene informacion muy importante sobre el agua que usted bebe. Traduzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.