To the editor:

In response to the “Water District Won’t Cut Bill” article, here is our confirmation number 9215713 from “Call before you dig” in early October 2009. They marked our grass and we started our project, staying away from their markings. When the accident happened, the Freeland water crew came and told us there will always be a 4-5 foot circumference “lee-way” to all their markings.

That’s a possible 8-foot difference/variation to where it is safe to dig! Thanks for telling us — after.

Then they admitted that the emergency water shut off valve on our street had been broken for years — before we bought our property. This is why they shut two valves, one at each end of our block, causing them major delays. Our accident revealed a past “temporary” fix that consists of a 4-inch water main replaced by two 2-inch PVC lines. We were told Freeland water decided to cut costs by going “cheaper.”

Also, the crew didn’t have proper hardware on hand for the fix which stalled their work. The job was performed twice due to improper initial repair. Our “new” fix is now only one 2-inch pipe; the other was capped. Overall man hours on the job was just about half of what we were billed.

These are a few reasons we wrote to Freeland water in the first place! We asked the board to consider that we only feel possibly responsible for our “accidental” half and they were totally responsible for things that were “tinker toyed” on before we even moved to that street!

Thanks South Whidbey Record. We wouldn’t know anything of the Freeland water board’s decision if it weren’t for your sleuth-like and honest reporting.

We’re assuming Freeland Water & Sewer District needed help communicating with us somehow and your mediation skills were necessary — like a kind of dummy interpreter.

P.S. — maybe our check (that’s been paid) can help Freeland Water & Sewer District buy a clue.

Carol L. Maynard

Freeland