Test drilling on Cheney's Well No. 8 shows promise

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

Much of the proposed development in Cheney hinges on the water issue and the new Well No. 8 shows signs of offering relief.

Public works director Don MacDonald said that test bore results from the site reveal it merits further development toward a groundwater well. The ideal location for the well is between 290 to 455 feet below ground surface level.

“There are several fracture zones in the basalt in this area that are conducive for the transmission of water through the basalt to the well hole for pumping,” MacDoanld said in an email. “It is estimated that this well site could be capable of producing up to 700 (gallons per minute).”

Before the well can be operational a lot of things have to happen first. MacDonald said the next step is drilling a production well with a 20-inch diameter minimum to the recommended drill depth of 455 feet. Next comes the construction of a well house and then installing the pumps and related equipment.

“Before we can begin development of the well we will need the Department of Ecology (DOE) to approve our applications for the well which we submitted in January of this year,” MacDonald said.

He also added the city has received positive feedback from DOE regarding the results of the test bore project.

No specific date has been given for when DOE will grant their approval. MacDonald is hopeful that it will be some time early in 2008.

“Our objective will be to have the new well hole in operation by July 1, 2008,” he said.

The production of well No. 8, based on the prediction of 700 gpm would ease the water conditions, but would not lift the moratorium.

MacDonald said Cheney's current peak day demand is 834.24 gallons per day, per equivalent residential unit (gpd/ERU).

A well producing 700 gpm could accommodate 1,208 ERUs.

The result is calculated by taking the production of 700 gpm, multiplying it by the number of minutes in a day, which is 1440, and dividing it by the current peak day demand of 834.24 gpd/ERU.

He said the result would be adequate to meet a projected annual increase of 70-75 ERUs based on current growth projections.

To help offset the costs of completion of the development, the city has applied for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through Spokane County. MacDonald said the consultant is estimating the cost for the well No. 8 project at about $1 million.

Also, MacDonald said the city is planning to recommend to the City Council they move forward with the Well No. 6 project.

By redeveloping the existing well and increasing the hole diameter, production volume would be increased by as much as 150 gpm over the current production volume of 550 gpm.

The biggest source of use is attributable to irrigation. MacDonald said any long term plans focus on ways to reduce the amount of irrigation.

The wastewater treatment plant will be the counter that dilemma. The city has received a 20-year loan for $11.6 million with no interest, and has applied for hardship funding, but still needs to foot $883,500 of the cost.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]