Endicott switches on new water system

With the flick of a switch and a gush of water, Endicott christened its new water system Tuesday morning.

“Pretty nice, huh?” Mayor Verne Strader said. “It’s a pretty impressive system for a town our size.”

The $1.9 million overhaul of the town’s water system included a new pump, a new well, new 235,000-gallon reservoir atop Pump House Hill and new pipes throughout most of town.

The system automatically clicks the pump on and off in response to changes in the city’s reservoir.

The new well, on the eastside hill overlooking the Wheat Growers of Endicott’s massive grain elevators, is feeding the reservoir. The well is the town’s fourth.

Tests on water from the well have shown a low level of nitrates, which had shown up in high levels during the summer in the town’s former primary well, located on the north end of town.

Though harmless to most, side effects from high nitrate levels can cause illness in pregnant women, young children and the elderly.

When it was initially turned on, the well pumped around 340 gallons of water per minute. The former primary well pumped at about 242 gallons per minute, according to Don Adams, an engineer with Century West of Spokane.

Water will occasionally be pumped from two of the existing wells to keep them clear and useable. The other well will be decommissioned, said Strader.

The higher flow means residents of Endicott will have increased water pressure when they turn on the tap.

Pipe of Washington, Pasco, was the lead contractor on the project. The system was designed by the Anderson Perry engineering firm of Walla Walla.

The new system was funded by a combination of state and federal grants and loans.

Washington’s Community Development Block Grant program provided $800,000 to the project, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development arm awarded a $330,000 grant.

The USDA also provided Endicott with a $587,000 loan, and the state’s Public Works Trust Fund loaned the town $175,000. The federal loan will be repaid over 40 years, while the state loan will be repaid in 20 years.

Endicott water users are now paying higher rates to build up a fund to pay off the loans. Base rate for up to 5,000 gallons per month rose from $35 to $40. Users will also pay $1 per every 1,000 gallons used over the 5,000-gallon base.