Water supply and conditions are fine in the Pine Cove Water District, General Manager Jerry Holldber told the directors at the Feb. 11 meeting.

“We’re back down on [water] production,” he reported. “Well no. 10 [the district’s monitoring well] has stayed at the same level.”

January water production was nearly 20 percent less than a year ago and 15 percent less than December’s production. December’s sub-freezing temperatures created numerous leaks last month, Holldber recounted.

“Production was hit hard in December because of the leaks. The wells met a demand that was 20 to 30 percent greater than summer demand,” he stated. “Now, the wells have returned to prior [groundwater] levels. The wells are good and will get better this spring.”

However, water loss remains greater than 10 percent. In January, the unaccounted-for water production was 12 percent, which is 2 percent more than the December level, but below the 2015 average loss of 13 percent.

“I’m still disappointed in the loss,” he told the board. He confirmed that he plans to continue replacing older and higher-usage water meters.

“That is not all of the problem,” he told the board. Consequently, Holldber also is considering employing a leak-detection firm again this year to try to identify possible leaks in the system.

Pipeline work this summer will concentrate in the Nestwa and Laurel trails area, according to Holldber.

President Robert Hewitt also announced that wood shavings and sawdust are available for PCWD customers to cover and put in their water-meter boxes.

“This helps prevent freezing and insulates the customer valve boxes,” Holldber concurred.