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Alcoa Intalco saving water at Ferndale smelter

Published 11:14 am Tuesday, May 18, 2010

FERNDALE — Alcoa Intalco says it’s upgrading the cooling system at its smelter near Ferndale to reduce the use of water by 60 percent.

The Bellingham Herald says Intalco will use 3.6 million fewer gallons of water per day. That’s about one-fifth of the water drawn from the Nooksack River by the Whatcom County Public Utility District.

PUD General Manager Steve Jilk says the savings will allow it to supply more water to other users as the need arises. The utility also supplies water to the BP and ConocoPhillips refineries at Cherry Point and the city of Ferndale.

Information from: The Bellingham Herald, www.bellinghamherald.com