ROYAL CITY - Royal City has jumped the first hurdle toward a loan that will allow a new (replacement) water main line along Camelia Street, according to Mayor Mike Stark.

Stark said the city has applied for a $400,000 loan from the Washington Public Works Board to make the replacement. He said the existing old steel pipe is at a stage that it requires much repair and maintenance.

If things continue as they are going, Stark said, the loan could come through in 2013. Then the city's contracted engineering firm, Gray & Osborne of Yakima, would spearhead the project, establishing specifications and starting the construction contract bid process.

"We could have the new main in 2014," Stark said.

Then, within a year, the city could upgrade and repave Camelia. The upgrade would include curbs and sidewalks, Stark said.

Meanwhile, Stark said there is a $35,000 project in the works to install a new telemetry system at the water treatment plant.

"The existing system is so old you can't get parts," Stark said.

According to Stark, the new system will send out a warning when something is going wrong. It will dial a technician.

In other news, Stark said a stone marker and a plaque were installed at the site of the 50-year Royal City time capsule placed in Lions Park during the recent SummerFest. It's heavy enough to discourage vandals.

"They would needed construction equipment to move it," Stark said.

Stark said a last-minute addition to the capsule was a separate capsule that contains and aerial map of the Royal Slope. It came too late to make the primary capsule, but Stark thought it was important enough to include.

Stark said a key item in the main capsule is a digital camera full of pictures of current Royal City and Royal Slope landmarks and entities.

"They'll be able to see what Royal City looks like now if they can still find a couple of AA batteries to fire it up," Stark said.