Update – Fire Hydrant Replacements

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UPDATE: Installation of the hydrants will NOT happen this week (week of October 19th).

We will post an update as to how things look early next week (week of October 26, 2020) .

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In the Fall of 2019 we gave notice that 3 fire hydrants in the neighborhood needed to be replaced.  This has been delayed many times now due to scheduling issues. We still think we are going to get this project going soon but it is again being delayed due to emergency repairs at other sites.

We currently do not know the exact day of the install. As we get closer we let you know what day it will take place. We hope this will be a 1 day repair.  Updates will be posted here on our blog.

**This will require the water system to be shut down in the areas of the repairs. **

Here is the letter and map that was mailed out in the fall of 2019 (links below).

Hydrant Replacement Letter

Map with hydrant replacement locations and what we believe will be affected homes

Thank you

Update – Fire Hydrant Replacements

2

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UPDATE: We are waiting to hear from our installer about the schedule this week. We were hoping to have a date today for when the installation would take place. As soon as we hear from him regarding the installation date we will post an update on the blog. We hope to give a few days notice if possible. It might still be this week. We hope to know soon.

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In the Fall of 2019 we gave notice that 3 fire hydrants in the neighborhood needed to be replaced.  This has been delayed many times now due to scheduling issues. We still think we are going to get this project going soon but it is again being delayed due to emergency repairs at other sites. We are now planning for the week of October 19, 2020 for this installation.

We currently do not know the exact day of the install. As we get closer we let you know what day it will take place. We hope this will be a 1 day repair.  Updates will be posted here on our blog.

**This will require the water system to be shut down in the areas of the repairs. **

Here is the letter and map that was mailed out in the fall of 2019 (links below).

Hydrant Replacement Letter

Map with hydrant replacement locations and what we believe will be affected homes

Thank you

Update – Fire Hydrant Replacements Now Targeted Week of Oct 19th

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In the Fall of 2019 we gave notice that 3 fire hydrants in the neighborhood needed to be replaced.  This has been delayed many times now due to scheduling issues. We still think we are going to get this project going soon but it is again being delayed due to emergency repairs at other sites. We are now planning for the week of October 19, 2020 for this installation.

We currently do not know the exact day of the install. As we get closer we let you know what day it will take place. We hope this will be a 1 day repair.  Updates will be posted here on our blog.

**This will require the water system to be shut down in the areas of the repairs. **

Here is the letter and map that was mailed out in the fall of 2019 (links below).

Hydrant Replacement Letter

Map with hydrant replacement locations and what we believe will be affected homes

Thank you

Water System Flushing Saturday, October 10th (9am – 1pm)

Water System Flushing Saturday, October 10th

Periodically, the FKHA Board will flush the mineral deposits from the fire hydrant lines.  This work is typically done by board member volunteers on a Saturday morning starting at 9:00 a.m. and continues for 3-4 hrs.

• Signs will be posted near the entrance to the sub about a week in advance.
• During the time frame of the flushing you should shut off the water to your house.   You should not use your water during this time
• After the flushing is complete, you should run the hoses outside your house to clear any residual deposits.

Any questions pertaining to our drinking water, our water system, or the above recommendations please see our Contact Us page.

More info on what to do to care for the lines to your home can be found on our website on the “Services” menu.   Here is a direct link.

Fire Hydrant Replacements Targeted Week of Oct 12th

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In the Fall of 2019 we gave notice that 3 fire hydrants in the neighborhood needed to be replaced.  This has been delayed many times now due to scheduling issues. We are now planning for the week of October 12, 2020 for this installation.

We currently do not know the exact day of the install. As we get closer we let you know what day it will take place. We hope this will be a 1 day repair.  Updates will be posted here on our blog.

**This will require the water system to be shut down in the areas of the repairs. **

Here is the letter and map that was mailed out in the fall of 2019 (links below).

Hydrant Replacement Letter

Map with hydrant replacement locations and what we believe will be affected homes

Thank you

Become an FKHA Board Member

     

We are looking for volunteers to become members at large on the Franklin Knolls HOA Board. If you are interested, please contact a board member for more information.

The board meets less often than in past years. With the use of technology, we can easily communicate without having a formal meeting. Since March we have been using Zoom to have meetings to help keep our board members safe.

Being on the board can be fun. You get to spend a little time with your neighbors and help make our neighborhood an even better place to live. The Contact Us page has the many ways to contact a current board member whether you have questions or are interested in helping out. You can also find more information and the “Willingness to Serve Form” on our website by looking at the drop down menu under “Tools”.

We hope to hear from you!

Adding New Sprinkler Systems Could Create Capacity Issues with our Water System

Homeowners in our neighborhood have asked about adding in-ground sprinkler systems on their property.  There have been a number of requests for this over the years.   Currently we do not allow additional in-ground sprinkler systems.  The HOA board understands why many homeowners want this.   It is so much easier than moving a hose around the yard.   But because it is easier to use, it could also increase the demand on our water system.  This additional demand is why there are concerns about our water system having enough water capacity.

Our restrictions on sprinkler systems went in place many years ago.   We are unaware of any documents that state why this went into effect but we assume it was a capacity concern.   In 2002 the DEQ was asked again to look at the capacity of our water system in regard to installation of new in-ground watering systems.  A review was done and a letter was sent stating we did not have the well capacity to support additional sprinkler systems.  Here is a link to that letter.
2002 DEQ Sprinkler Water System Capacity 

We asked Tiffany to look at our system to see if she thought we had enough capacity to support additional sprinkler systems.  Tiffany also has concerns about our well having enough capacity to support more sprinkler systems.   Here is the reply from Tiffany
2020 EGLE Sprinkler Water System Capacity

The letter also states that we could have an engineering study done.  We did consider this but we feel there is a very small chance that the engineering study would be much different from what was already presented to us.  We are also working with the city to get a cost estimate on converting to city water.   If we do convert to a city water system, in-ground sprinklers should be allowed.

We also reviewed input from our previous Representative Jaiye who did think we had the capacity to add more sprinklers.  We asked her to come talk to us at the annual meeting but she left her position before that could happen.  The other input was from Briarcliff who has a water system very similar to ours.  They also state that in-ground water systems are not allowed due to the capacity of the water system.

The board reviewed all the inputs and has decided at this time to keep our current restrictions on sprinkler systems and not allow any new in-ground watering systems to be installed.  We wish we could allow it but we feel the extra demand on our system and it’s designed capacity could create many problems and possible additional repair costs to the HOA

The Franklin Knolls HOA Board

Water System Flushing Saturday, August 1st (9am – 1pm)

Water System Flushing Saturday, August 1st

Periodically, the FKHA Board will flush the mineral deposits from the fire hydrant lines.  This work is typically done by board member volunteers on a Saturday morning starting at 9:00 a.m. and continues for 3-4 hrs.

• Signage will be posted at the entrance to the subs about a week in advance.
• During the time frame of the flushing you should shut off the water to your house (valve in the basement near your sub pump), and frame.  You should not use your water during this time
• After the flushing is complete, you should run the hoses outside your house to clear any residual deposits.

Any questions pertaining to our drinking water, our water system, or the above recommendations please see our Contact Us page.

More info on what to do to care for your lines to your home can be found on our website on the “Services” menu.   Here is a direct link

2019 Water Quality Report is now Available on our Website

The 2019 Water Quality Report describing the source and quality of your drinking water is now available on our website.  Here is a direct link:

2019 Water Quality Report

A paper copy of this report is available upon request. Please contact a board member or send us an email with your name and the address if you would like a paper copy of the report sent to you. You can email us and/or find our contact information here.

An email will be sent to all homeowners on file with this information. The fall newsletter will also have a summary article about this water report. A paper copy of this newsletter will be sent to all homeowners of Franklin Knolls.

The Water Quality Report is required by the State of Michigan and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) It is based on testing our water system by AquaTest Laboratories, Inc. Water samples are taken monthly and tested to check the quality of our water on a regular basis. We also have a mechanical inspection done regularly to help keep our water system operational and the backup systems ready when needed.

We recently performed our spring flush out of the water system and have two more flushings planned for this summer and fall. Home lines need to be flushed out as well. Without flushing home water lines can become restricted or plugged up which can lead to a costly repair for the homeowner. Information on this and other tips are available here on our website.

We hope you find the report beneficial and reassuring that the water provided to your home meets or exceeds government standards. Let us know if you have any questions. There are also government agency phone numbers in the report.

Thx

UPDATE – City Water Conversion – Engineering Study/Cost Estimate to be Conducted

City Water Engineering Study/Cost Estimate Petitions

UPDATE – We received completed and signed petitions from more than 30% of the homeowners of Franklin Knolls.   The 30% of homeowners was the required minimum number by the city to have an engineering study/cost estimate done for our subdivision.  

We have sent the petitions and the cover letter shown below to the city.   As stated in the letter the process will take at least 6 to 8 months to complete.   They also said it might be longer due to the COVID-19 issue.  Once this process is complete we will have a special homeowners meeting to review the results and answer questions

Regards,
Franklin Knolls HOA Board

2020_0618 FK Cover letter City Water Cost Estimate Petition