CHENEY — Uncertainty over how best to repair a downed pump could leave the city without the use of one of its main reserve irrigation wells at a key point in time as the weather begins to warm and an unusually dry spring continues.
At its April 27 meeting, the City Council deferred a decision on a nearly $29,538 change order to a contract with Specialty Pump of Spokane to replace the existing pump and motor at the city’s Well 6, which is located just off State Route 904 towards Tyler. The city had originally entered into a small works contract for $5,800 with Specialty in January to identify repairs needed to fix the pump and motor, which went down about the same time as a nearby Inland Power and Light transformer caught fire in June 2020.
The well was originally drilled in1994, with the pump set about 710 feet down, and is capable of a maximum gallons per minute of 1,100, according to the city’s 2018 Wellhead Protection Plan. Public Works Director Todd Ableman said it is currently capable of about 500 gpm, and is one of several the city relies upon to provide additional water flow during irrigation season. The well, and nearby companion Well 7, is typically run May – October to handle irrigation season peak flows.
Ableman acknowledged the change order is expensive, but noted part of the reason was they didn’t know what damage had been done and Specialty’s contract was more about find that out. The change order would bring the entire contract, including tax and a 10% contingency, total to $41,699.77.
During discussion, Councilman Paul Schmidt questioned if a change order was “structurally” the proper way to proceed with the repair, and wondered if the work shouldn’t first go out for bids. Ableman agreed, noting that Specialty was the closest contractor capable of performing the work.
“We are real lacking in people who will actually take on our municipal wells,” he added.
During the discussion, city attorney Stanley Schwartz first said he felt the work should go out for competitive bids, but added that if the lack of the well created an emergency situation, the city had within its statutory abilities to declare an emergency and award the bid to Specialty. Ableman said he didn’t believe there was an emergency, pointing out the damage had been done last year.
“My only concern is if we do bid it, it could be 6—8 weeks out and you’re seeing prices go through the roof,” Councilman Vince Barthels said. “That’s a risk we’re taking also.”
“If it’s an emergency, then I would suggest council approve this and bring forward a resolution declaring an emergency to acquire this,” Schwartz said.
Barthels also acknowledged Well 6 is one of eight wells the city has, although Well 4 is not hooked up to the main water flow used by residents. Ableman said state law didn’t require him to follow normal sealed bid processes, and would contact known pump contractors – including Specialty – to ask them to bid on the work.
As a timeframe, Ableman said the city could be looking at end of June or July before Well 6 was returned to operations. Currently, the city is using its recently redrilled Well 3 for the majority of its water needs, but cautioned things could change if that well should go down.
While the National Weather Service is forecasting near average temperatures for the near future, it noted the region remains in an “abnormally dry” pattern when it comes to precipitation. If precipitation remains in this categories, and temperatures warm, the demand for irrigation will likely rise – as it has in the past – and create demands on the city’s water supply capabilities.
“If we were to lose Well 3 and have Well 6 out, we would be in a world of hurt,” Ableman said.
City Administrator Mark Schuller added that if that scenario occurred, the council could come back and declare an emergency to get well repairs expedited.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)