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Ephrata declares emergency, orders repairs after Well 3 pump failure; staff expect well back online after tests
Summary
Council approved an emergency declaration and repairs after staff and contractor crews removed a broken pump and damaged line shaft from Well 3; staff reported water sampling and an expected return to service if lab results are acceptable.
City staff presented a timeline and photographic evidence of a mechanical failure at Well 3, and the council approved an emergency declaration and authorization for repairs to restore the city’s water supply.
What happened: Staff reported that on June 24 they were notified of unusual motor noise and a loss of pumping at Well 3. A contractor (ITC/Irrigation Technology Control) removed the column pipe and found a broken line shaft and a damaged pump housing. Staff said a section of the line shaft fell down the well and bent components of the pump assembly.
“Approximately at 130 feet we found a broken line shaft,” a staff presenter said during the PowerPoint overview, describing the retrieval and inspection of the pump and line shaft. Staff said they elected to rebuild and wholly replace the stainless line shaft rather than sleeve the old shaft, which was the approach used during an earlier servicing decades ago.
Emergency declaration and repairs
To expedite the work and ensure system reliability given projected weather and Well 5 being offline, staff recommended and the council approved an emergency declaration (Resolution 25‑48) to authorize immediate repairs. Staff described pump removal, a cracked housing and a broken flange, and said they chose to rebuild the pump rather than reinstall a damaged unit.
Water quality and expected timeline
Staff said they flushed and chlorinated the well and collected samples. One sample was sent to an accredited lab in the Tri‑Cities and another was tested in the city lab as a preliminary indicator. Staff told the council the unofficial results from the local lab were consistent with expectations and that they expected final lab results back the following morning; if results were as expected, staff said they planned to have the well back online by about 11:00 the next day.
Council action
The council moved, seconded and approved the emergency declaration to authorize repairs. Officials thanked the crews and staff for rapid response and documentation of the failure.
Ending
Staff will return any required compliance reports to the council and will report back when the Tri‑Cities lab results are received and the well is returned to service.
