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College Place moves to drill new municipal well after Well 8 proves unviable; council backs DWSRF loan application
Summary
After well‑8 yielded low flow with high iron and manganese, the council unanimously approved a resolution supporting a Department of Health DWSRF low‑interest loan application to drill a new Well 9, and authorized related engineering work for other wells.
City staff told the College Place City Council on Nov. 25 that the recently drilled Well 8 did not meet expectations—its yield was low and water‑quality tests showed iron and manganese levels that would require more than $1 million in treatment to make the site viable for drinking water. Staff recommended pivoting to a new site (Well 9) and applying immediately for a Department of Health DWSRF low‑interest loan to finance engineering and drilling.
Mister McAndrews, who presented the item, said the city has already spent roughly $2,000,000 on design and drilling for the Well 8 hole and determined it is not cost‑effective to proceed with extensive treatment. He told council the city is preparing a funding application due the following day and that Martin Airfield has provided a letter of support for a candidate Well‑9 site near the airport. McAndrews said staff are exploring drilling strategies (including possibly drilling a smaller test hole first) to reduce the chance of repeating the Well‑8 outcome.
Council asked about the sunk costs and the status of other wells. McAndrews said the $2,000,000 invested was largely funded by low‑interest loans and that the city currently has four functioning wells; he also said the city may be able to reuse the Well‑8 hole in the future for irrigation but will not move forward with it for drinking water. Council unanimously approved Resolution 25‑058 supporting the DWSRF funding application.
In related water‑system action, council authorized a professional‑services agreement with RH2 Engineering for rehabilitation design work on Well 3 (authorizing up to $577,892), citing the need for new chlorination equipment and a backup generator to keep the well at operating standards.
What happens next: staff will submit the DWSRF application and, if funded, proceed with site investigations and drilling; engineering design for Well 3 will proceed under the RH2 contract authorization.
