Council hears 800-gpm well tests, arsenic treatment challenges and next steps for annexation report

Council reviewed recent well testing tied to a proposed annexation and discussed technical and environmental challenges that follow a positive flow test. Staff said consultants reported an 800-gallon-per-minute pumping result during testing, but water chemistry showed arsenic and iron that would require filtration and careful backwash handling.

"Finding the water is awesome — we need it for our future — but it's not going to be cheap," the Chair said, noting onsite filtration and settling ponds or other disposal methods for backwash are costly and must meet regulatory limits. Council members noted the need to measure downstream impacts on the wastewater treatment system if backwash is routed to sewer and emphasized the additional treatment and disposal expenses such a decision would trigger.

Council asked that the property owner (Dave Lutton) complete his consultant’s written report and return to present findings; staff named Dan Wayan (city geologist) and FNB (consultant) as likely technical contacts for sizing filtration and evaluating wastewater impacts. Members also asked staff to consider how the results should be integrated into the annexation review and whether the city should review the consultant report before it is sent to neighboring jurisdictions.

The council did not act on annexation at the session; it set expectations that the annexation applicant prepare a complete well/filtration analysis and that staff to identify consultants and options for filtration, backwash handling, and timeline estimates for a follow-up presentation.