Editor,

Mr. Collins’ letter of Oct. 21 makes several inaccurate claims, starting with the statement “Langley’s position of counting on developers to pay the cost of infrastructure.” Our current sewer plant was paid for by all the residents of Langley – those with sewers and those with septic – not by developers.

Langley, as stated in its comprehensive plan, plans to bring full service to all its residents. The grant from the county will enable the city to extend sewer and stormwater pipes to the 140 residents currently not served. The Water Management Bond does not change any zoning at all, period. Its sole purpose is to correct defects in Langley water supply, stormwater management, and sewer. Plus it adds pedestrian safety to those who use Sixth Street for walking. Langley’s sewer treatment plant is currently functioning at 60 percent, not 70 percent. That 10 percent of extra capacity for additional hookups is very significant because it rebuts the writer’s claim that the city is close to needing a major upgrade to the sewer plant. After stopping water from seeping into cracked sewer pipes, the 60 percent number will decrease. It is important to understand that putting in a full stormwater system in East Langley will remove all surface water from streets, thereby reducing the amount of water currently going into the bluff. I encourage everyone to read the fact sheet on the city’s website for more details.

The bottom line is that the plant was built to serve all of Langley, the bond is paying for fixing currently broken or undersized systems and enhancing safety, and the grant from the county is looking out for our future by taking water away from the ground around the bluff. The city’s strategy of doing it all at once will save up to 30 percent in costs. What is our alternative? The City of Langley’s engineering firm, in the absence of the bond passing, has recommended a 43 percent increase in the base rate of water alone for next year. That is a daunting number and illustrates the pressing need to pass the bond. We can fix all this now, save on the cost of the work and have our rates rise at much slower rate. The pay-it-as-it-breaks method is inefficient, error prone and costly. Say YES to the Langley Water Management System Improvement Bond and ensure the future of Langley.

Dominique Emerson

Langley