Divining Cheney's water future

With the coming of cooler temperatures and the wetter weather of fall and winter, Cheney's water supply issues have been solved.

That is, for now.

What the future holds is anybody's guess. For Cheney's public works director, Todd Ableman, if that future holds more of what has happened with weather patterns over the past two years, then the city and its residents will be looking at new approaches to supplying water.

From October through April, the city's water usage averages roughly 30 million gallons a month, an amount easily handled by two of Cheney's eight wells. Wells 1 and 2, located on Eastern Washington University's campus in a pump house along Elm Street produce 360 and 200 gallons per minute (gpm) respectively, have high static water levels and recharge quickly.

"Those are just good, outstanding and productive wells," Ableman said.

During peak irrigation seasons, wells 5 – 8 are put online and help maintain levels in the city's 4.3 million gallon reservoir system, providing a good supply of water and solid water pressure. Prior to 2014, that irrigation season typically kicked in around July, with the city's monthly water usage rising slowly at first, but then sharply over a six week period, topping off at anywhere between 80 million to 100 million gallons.

Ableman said they dealt with this sharp increase by ceasing to irrigate city parks and school district grounds and athletic facilities. Because the hot weather period was short, these measures worked to recharge reservoir levels quickly.

But in 2014, hotter weather earlier and less than normal precipitation during winter and spring led to the irrigation season beginning in June. Rather than a sharp, quick peak, that season flattened out and lasted longer, rising to about 90 million gallons in July, dipping to just below 80 million in August, and then rising again to about 85 million in September before plunging back down to just around 35 million gallons in November.

This year, the increased demand for water began in April, forcing the city to put wells 5 –8 online much earlier and leading to an increase in monthly usage, about 85 million gallons in June, which is the latest information available. The early high water use dropped the city's reservoir levels to near critical levels and forced severe water restrictions in late June, early July.

Those restrictions eventually restored reservoir levels, and they currently sit at a near capacity 29 feet.

But if drier winters coupled with longer, hotter summers is to be the new normal, Ableman believes the city needs to start taking measures to head off any future water crisis. Those start with what the city can do right now, which is regain some of its pumping capacity through well rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation work scheduled this fall on Wells 1 and 2 should restore their pumping capacity from the current total of 560 gpm to their maximum of 900 gpm. Well 8 was recently rehabilitated and is at its capacity of 400 gpm, while rehabilitation work in the future on wells 5 – 7 will restore them to a total of 1,320 gpm, up from their current 880 gpm.

Well rehabilitation work is spendy, and generally lasts 3 – 4 years, Ableman told the City Council at its Aug. 11 meeting. So, other measures are needed.

Next week: The city looks at measures to utilize two wells not currently supplying the regular water system as well as reclaimed water from its wastewater treatment plant.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.