County delays major geothermal equipment purchase after reviews show uncertain well flow and fine‑sediment problems

Okanogan County commissioners on Tuesday paused a planned purchase of nearly half a million dollars in geothermal equipment for the courthouse and jail after county staff and outside consultants told the board they lack key data about the system's ability to return groundwater and about fine sediment that has been clogging heat exchangers.

The issue matters because the geothermal system is the county's primary cooling source for the jail and a malfunctioning system contributed to repeated high indoor temperatures. Contractors and maintenance staff told commissioners the system has run nonstop, that some heat‑exchanger components have already failed, and that the county cannot be confident new equipment will work until it knows how much water the return/injection wells will accept and how to filter fine sediment from the water.

Maintenance staff and Devco consultant Chad Alverson reviewed the county's…