From: "Gus Wenzel"

To: Mike Keegan

Subject: Arsenic levels in public water system

Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 15:46:59 -0800

Hi Mike:

I'm Gus Wenzel, the Sec./Treas. of Palisades Water Assn here on Camano Island, WA. We are a Class A public water system. We have 32 hookups and 37 shares outstanding. I have lived on this system for 31 years and have held my current Board of Trustees position for the last 8 years.

Until the recent (2000) change of the MCL for Arsenic in public water systems, we averaged anywhere from 9.9 to a high of 11.0ppb... Well below the 50ppb MCL previously mandated.

Our most recent test results for Arsenic was a 10.006ppb, or 6/100,000 of a part over the MCL. The reaction of the State DoH and the Island County DoH would leave one to believe we were attempting a Jonestown massacre on our shareholders.

Quite the contrary, a quick study of our shareholders would leave you to believe we have a Fountain of Youth. Since I've been on this water system 7/8ths of the users have ranged in age from 96 to 83. Four who have died were ages 96, 96, 94, and 75. The 75 died of pancreatic cancer. The rest just wore out. We did have one die from alcohol poisoning at 75. And another died from stroke complications from prolonged use of prednisone for treatment of asthma. He was 86 when he died! And we have a retired Army nurse who just went into a nursing home at age 94.

I think you get the picture. We have some tough hombres and gals who, when they do die, they are worn out and have beat the life expectancy tables all to heck. They aren't dying from any high levels of arsenic.

Dale Tyler, President of our CWSA (Camano Island Water Assn) has told me that you could possibly help my water system from having to install a $50,000+ filtration system to satisfy an ill advised mandate from the EPA, State DoH, and County DoH. My users are mostly senior citizens, in good health, but fixed incomes, and are thrilled with the current arsenic levels. The county is threatening to withold building permits for the 5 lots that haven't been built on yet if we don't comply.

Mike, I can be reached at 360-xxx-xxxx or I can call you anytime at your convenience.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Gus Wenzel

Camano Island, WA 98282