By KARLEE VAN DE VENTER
Staff Intern 

Hey neighbor, can I borrow some water?

Medical Lake, Four Lakes exploring intertie system

 

Last updated 5/6/2021 at 1:41pm



MEDICAL LAKE — The City Council is in the early stages of an agreement to honor Four Lakes Water District’s request for water – a discussion like many on the West Plains that’s been ongoing for several years.

Medical Lake currently gets part of its water supply from city-owned wells. Medical Lake City Administrator Doug Ross estimated an average flow of 700 gallons per minute through the city water system, but noted the number changes drastically depending on the time of year.

Medical Lake also receives 200 gallons per minute from Spokane county to use at its discretion, as per a recent intertie agreement. Medical Lake also has access to 600 gallons per minute of emergency water from Spokane, which would need to be approved for use in advance by Spokane.

Medical Lake has been working towards this intertie with Spokane “for at least 14 years,” R oss said.

Throughout the process, Four Lakes was also interested in establishing an intertie with Spokane. Eventually, Medical Lake received an agreement and Four Lakes did not. Still hoping for additional water, Four Lakes then approached Medical Lake for an agreement.

Four Lakes is requesting 50 gallons per minute from Medical Lake to use at their discretion. Four Lakes does not have the well output or aquifer levels that they desire, leaving a need for supplemental water. This is generally solved by going outside of a city’s aquifer, as Four Lakes is attempting.

“Think about it: if you drill another well, it’s like putting a second straw in the exact same glass of water and thinking you’re going to get more water,” Ross said. “That’s not how it works.”

Many council members have been in favor of the agreement, on the premise of being neighborly towards Four Lakes.

“We are pleased to provide assistance to our neighboring community,” Mayor Shirley Maike said.

Council members also recall being in a similar situation before Medical Lake’s intertie with Spokane was complete. Water agreements are common on the West Plains.

“I think the city of Medical Lake understands, probably, Four Lakes’ situation as well as anybody,” Ross said. “Because we were in that situation until we got the intertie.”

The theory is Medical Lake would charge Four Lakes at the same wholesale rate that they purchase it from Spokane, not the citizen rate, so there would be no net loss. That rate would be around $1.87 per 1,000 gallons, Ross said.

Ross said he spoke with maintenance supervisors, engineers and others, looking for possible negative outcomes from an intertie with Four Lakes. “There’s nothing that we see that would be of detriment to the city of Medical Lake,” he said.

They are also going through the agreement as it is now written and to cover any potential complications. As it stands, Ross sees no financial or operational downsides for Medical Lake. Residents will see no change in water access nor will they be affected much by the agreement.

The process has been temporarily paused while Spokane guarantees that the water’s delivery point meets all federal and state quality standards. The only potential problem seen was regarding the chlorine residual.

The water Medical Lake receives from Spokane flows through a 36-inch water main, which is larger than average. But because the water being delivered through the main is not much in relation, the main could have a tendency to lose chlorine. A constant stream of water would ensure constant chlorine.

This quality check could lead to Medical Lake having to purchase a specific amount of water per month from Spokane in order to ensure the main’s constant stream. This is only a possibility, and the numbers could match with what is already in place.

Ross suspected that even with a possible small complication regarding the quality check, Medical Lake would continue with the agreement.

“It certainly can’t be a dealbreaker,” Ross said. “Because we’ve already spent $900,000 on the intertie on our side.”

 

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