Okanogan County OKs $148,142 well investigation as jail geothermal repairs continue

Okanogan County commissioners voted to authorize a $148,142 task order to investigate the county detention center's geothermal wells, part of an ongoing response to system failures that have left the jail relying on portable cooling units.

The board approved the amendment, described in the meeting as a limited well investigation and pump test, after county staff and a Commerce grant representative described repeated issues with silt, filters and well performance since the geothermal project was installed. "Just for the exchangers? Just for the exchangers," a county official said after staff read a quote that showed a single equipment bid for about $489,000, underscoring that repair estimates already returned to the county were substantial.

The approved task order covers downhole video inspection, limited step-rate pumping tests and a written evaluation of well rehabilitation, retrofit or replacement options. Commissioners and staff said the work is designed to establish actual flow rates and the condition of injection wells before the county spends on larger repairs or equipment replacements.

Why it matters: The detention center's cooling system has underperformed for years, according to the discussion. County staff said the geothermal heat exchangers have silt build-up and that earlier maintenance routines and filters either were inadequate or were not performed consistently. Until the county identifies reliable well performance and flows, staff said, the jail will continue to rely on temporary cooling and electric boilers, increasing operating costs.

County and technical staff explained that earlier project phases had oversized extraction and injection wells intending a second phase of expansion; despite that, the injection wells are not accepting flows as designed. "We did oversize both the extraction and the injection wells," a staff member said, "and we still have water backing up out of the wells." A Commerce representative, identified in the meeting as Kirsten, said the agency may have capital funding windows later in the year that the county could apply to for partial assistance.

Discussion and next steps: Staff described a two-step field plan: a limited step-rate pumping test (four incremental pumping periods followed by a final four-hour run at an optimal rate) and downhole camera inspection to document sediment deposits and mechanical conditions. Meeting remarks also referenced separate estimates for a more extensive pump test that could run 24 to 28 hours and a larger rehabilitation scope. Staff estimated the county could see additional contractor costs for full rehabilitation or replacement and suggested a target application window for Commerce grants in the fall.

Commission action: The motion to authorize the chair to sign the amendment for the well investigation (estimated at $148,142) passed unanimously. No individual votes were recorded by name in the public minutes; commissioners signaled all in favor.

Staff cautioned that additional work likely will be required after the investigation: pump tests, possible well rehabilitation or replacement, and replacement of heat-exchange hardware if silt damage is confirmed. County staff said they will return with test results and updated cost estimates and will pursue available Commerce grant opportunities to offset repair costs.

Ending: County officials said they will schedule the field testing soon and expected preliminary results to guide whether the county pursues larger repairs or a conversion to a closed-loop exchanger system. The investigators will also coordinate permitting and discharge issues, including discussions with the City of Okanogan where disposal to municipal storm drains may be necessary.