Wellhouse coming online

BLUE RIVER: After years of work, the Blue River Water District’s (BRWD) new well house is scheduled for a final electrical inspection next week and will be completed by the end of the month.

Officials said the completion of the well houses marks a significant milestone in the district’s ongoing efforts to restore and modernize the water system following the devastation caused by the 2020 wildfires. The new well house is expected to safeguard the community’s water supply, ensure more efficient operations, and provide the infrastructure necessary for future growth and resilience.

Following a 2021 legislative change, the water district expanded, becoming a sanitary district. Those operations are slated to enter the engineering phase soon, but securing adequate funding remains a challenge—only 25% of the necessary resources have been secured so far.

Drain fields at the Blue River Park and the 16-acre THree Meadows site are currently being evaluated for their suitability and compliance with Oregon DEQ regulations.

On the water side of operations, several updates have included include:

- Repairing 15 leaks, including a major leak that was losing 2 million gallons of water monthly since 2001.

- Upgrading the water system to meet modern standards, including inspecting and cleaning reservoirs.

- Launching a new website at blueriverwaterdistrict.com

- Installing new software that enables remote water system management.

- GPS-locating all meters and hydrants, uncovering three previously unknown hydrants and numerous unbilled meters.

- Establishing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Rainbow Water District for consulting, billing, and emergency support.

With the well house project nearing completion, the district is poised to begin the next phase of the water system rebuild. Engineering work is expected to wrap up soon, with bids for the project to be opened in October 2024. Construction is slated to begin in early spring 2025. Unlike the sanitation project, funding for the water system rebuild is fully in place, which should ensure a smooth transition into the construction phase.