A MESSAGE FROM J. PETER LARK

The New Face of the BWL

Mark your calendars!

Silver Bells in the City

Friday, November 16

 It’s with pride that I recently accepted the job
as General Manager for Lansing Board of     
Water & Light.                                                  

I’m proud to be associated with Michigan’s
largest public utility, which has served mid-
Michigan for more than 120 years.            

Just as important, the BWL is a true    
partner with the Lansing area, helping
 to improve people’s quality of life.     

 This is an exciting time to be in the   
  utility business. This year, we           
 became the first utility in Michigan
to adopt a  policy that sets specific 
goals to acquire renewable energy.        

The recent dry spells made me wonder if we are in danger of running out of water.  Will we have to ration our water? -- J.V., East Lansing

First off, the BWL always stresses conservation to our nearly 56,000 water customers. It’s the right thing to do, and it helps save on your water bills. But are Lansing-area residents faced with water shortages? No. The BWL has more than 120 wells that reach hundreds of feet below ground, tapping into what is called the Saginaw Aquifer. Think of it as a giant  underground lake that rests under a large part of Michigan’s lower peninsula. Like much of Michigan — and unlike other parts of the United States — the Greater Lansing community has an abundance of clean, fresh water. The big challenge for the BWL is maintaining our wells along with the delivery system that brings water to your homes and businesses. In July of 2002, we delivered more than ONE BILLION GALLONS of water to our customers. That was a record — more than 33 million gallons of water per day. This past July during a prolonged dry spell, the BWL delivered 32 million gallons of water a day.

Do you have a question for the Lansing Board of Water & Light?  Send it to Q CORNER:

  E-MAIL: mailto:mdn@lbwl.com

    FAX:  (517) 702-6855

   MAIL:  Lansing Board of Water & Light

          Communications Department

          1232 Haco Dr., P.O. Box 13007

          Lansing MI 48901.

We’ve already taken a great leap forward in renewable energy.  In August, we announced an agreement to buy electricity generated from landfill gases. Our deal with Granger means there will be a steady supply of “green” energy reaching area homes and businesses for many years to come.

I believe the Board of Water & Light is — and will continue to be — a leader in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.  At the customer level, we want to help you conserve energy. That may sound strange coming from someone who wants to sell you electricity, but we all know it’s the right thing to do for the environment.

Here’s one relatively inexpensive way you can do your part: use compact fluorescent light bulbs (known as CFLs).  Using just five CFLs in a home can save $35 a year. If every home in the U.S. did this, the reduction in greenhouse gases would be equivalent to the emissions from eight million cars.

The BWL slogan is “Hometown People. Hometown Power.” Within the company, we have another slogan: three simple words that say it all. Rates. Reliability. Service.

Our electricity rates are consistently about 20 percent lower than Consumers Energy’s. Our reliability record — keeping the electricity and water flowing to your homes and businesses — exceeds industry standards. And, the annual surveys we commission reveal our customers consistently give us high marks for service.

In addition to more than 97,000 electricity customers, the BWL has nearly 56,000 water customers. We provide an average of 23 million gallons of clean drinking water to customers every day. And it tastes good, too! This year, our water was judged to be one of the best-tasting municipal waters in the country.

Rates. Reliability. Service. All delivered by hometown people. That sounds like a perfect combination to me.

J. Peter Lark

General Manager

2-1-1
CAN BE
A LIFELINE

We all know dialing 9-1-1 puts you in touch with emergency services like police and fire departments.

But some mid-Michigan residents may not know about a newer, three-digit number for those in need of human services.

It’s 2-1-1, and help is available around the clock, 365 days a year.

This free service is brought to our community by the Capital Area United Way. Dial 2-1-1 and you will be connected to a referral specialist.

What kind of human services help does 2-1-1 provide?

Here are some examples:

nFood, shelter, and clothing.

nSubstance abuse services.

nRent and utility assistance.

nChild abuse and neglect.

nTax assistance.

nPersonal and household needs.

nYouth programs.

nCounseling.

nVolunteer opportunities.

About 70 percent of Michigan residents now have access to 2-1-1 services.  In mid-Michigan the
2-1-1 Call Center serves Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Jackson and Hillsdale counties.

Remember to call 2-1-1 if you need  a human services referral.

Cell or pay phone users,
call toll-free (866) 561-2500.

For more information visit
www.centralmichigan211.org.

Programmable thermostats and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are increasingly popular in people’s homes.

Small wonder. These energy-saving thermostats and lights can substantially lower your heating and electric bills.

Heating costs make up 36 percent of your energy bills. A programmable thermostat allows you to dial down the temperature while you’re away from home.

And CFLs save money in several ways. They are four times more efficient, cost less to operate than incandescent bulbs and last about 10 times longer than incandescents.

However, replacing old-fashioned thermostats and light bulbs with energy-saving thermostats and CFLs does entail some smart thinking and precautions, because both contain mercury which can be damaging to your health.

The older, non-programmable thermostats contain mercury. They’ve been in use since the 1950s.  And CFLs contain a small amount of mercury too.

In both cases, these mercury-containing devices need to be disposed of properly. 

For thermostats with mercury, the Michigan Department of Community Health offers the following advice:

n The “tilt switches” in a thermostat contain about 3 grams of mercury. If the glass “bubble” in the switch is broken, a person may be exposed to an invisible — and harmful — mercury vapor.

n Inhaling mercury vapor is particularly hazardous to children under six years of age and pregnant women, because of its harm to the fetus.  Mercury is a very powerful neurotoxin.

n Do not simply toss mercury-containing thermostats in the trash. Otherwise, the mercury will be released into the environment.

n Instead, double-bag the old thermostat in a sealable plastic bag. Double-bagging is your “insurance policy” in case the first bag is somehow punctured. CFLs, which contain much less mercury (about the size of the tip of a ball point pen) should be similarly bagged.

n Dispose of the item(s) properly! The Ingham County Health Department accepts CFLs, mercury thermostats and other household hazardous waste. Every Thursday from 2-6 p.m. from April through September, the health department will accept these items, plus other things like inkjet cartridges and batteries.
Please note: September 27 is the last hazardous waste collection date in 2007.

For more information, please contact:
     Ingham County Health Department
     5303 S. Cedar Street • Lansing, MI  48911
     (517) 887-4300