By The Chronicle, 7/10/99, The Chronicle
PE ELL - After making $52,000 in improvements to Pe Ell's water treatment plant, the town's boil-water order was lifted Friday by the state Department of Health.
''I think it's a result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people,'' said Art Griffith, the consultant responsible for the water treatment plant.
''The town has done a lot to improve its water system,'' he added, ''and they've made a commitment to continue doing so in the future.''
The order was served in April 1998, when health officials found an increased potential for disease to those consuming the town's water.
But since then, many community members volunteered time and effort to help repair the system. The town council also raised water rates to help pay for emergency loans to aid the system.
Health officials inspected the drinking water on June 30 and decided the water treatment plant showed significant improvement. But they noted long-term treatment and delivery of drinking water still need to be addressed.
On Tuesday, Mayor John Penberth signed a contract for a $320,000 Community Development Block Grant to repair and replace water distribution lines, and to design and construct improvements to the raw water line.
By 2002, Griffith said, a new water treatment system for the town should be under construction.
Gray and Osborne personnel also are working on designing a new sewer plant for Pe Ell. The town recently was denied a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant for that project, in part because most of the town's work has been on the failing water system.
About 360 households are connected to the town's water system.
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