Winter 2020

Barlow Water Improvement District Winter 2020 Newsletter
Greetings! We wanted to send you an update on what has been happening at the Barlow Water Improvement District.
The first section of the Eagle Point Rd project has been finished. We plan to complete the remainder of the project this Spring/Summer. The engineering plan estimated this project would cost $251,251.00. However, due to self funding and in house installation, the actual costs should be under $100,000.00. Members on Eagle Point Rd will have improved water pressure once this project is complete and they are hooked into the upgraded system.
Due to upgrades, maintenance of our system, and public conservation, we are experiencing less water loss. The system is running more efficiently, which means our energy costs are lower. We recently received a rebate check from Wasco Electric for $2,235.00.
We sold our well #3 property last year for $76,000.00. This well was no longer part our of water system. Funds from the sale were applied to our USDA loan, which will allow us to pay the loan off quicker.
The current interest rate on our USDA loan is 4.25%. Our current balance is approximately $2,200,000.00. We have made attempts to decrease the interest rate, but we learned that USDA does not refinance their own loans. In addition, other banks that we have spoken to can only guarantee their rate for 10 years. Our loan is scheduled to be paid in full by early 2046.
As a reminder, you have the option to pay your bill on our website (barlowwater.net) for free using your checking account and routing number. If you pay using your debit or credit card, there is a fee which is disclosed at the time of payment. If you need assistance, please feel free to call the office. Dawn can take your payment for you by phone now.
BWID Board meetings are held at 9:00am on the second Saturday of each month in the conference room at the fire hall. All members are invited to attend and provide input. Attending a meeting is also the best way to understand how our water system operates. Your Board members are all volunteers and have the best interest of the district in mind.
You can find us on Facebook now under Barlow Water District of Pine Hollow. In the event of problems with our system in the future, information will be posted there.
Lastly, keeping member contact information updated is very important. In the event of a water leak, a billing issue, or other emergency, we must be able to contact our members quickly and efficiently to prevent unnecessary property damage. Please call (541)544-2920 or stop by our office at the Fire Department next to South boat ramp to make sure we have your correct phone number on file. You can also email Dawn at dawnmdenney@gmail.com. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to noon.