Raw Water Pumphouse Construction Update Wednesday, June 17, 2026 4:00 PM

Construction Update:  The new pumps were successfully placed today, but pipe connections were not completed due to identified changes needed after the pumps were placed.  The plan is to continue to run on the temporary pump, while the new pumps are connected, started up, tested, and flushed tomorrow, Thursday, June 18th.  

After final regulatory and engineering qualification, the District will be able to switch over to the new pumps.  Qualification may not be completed tomorrow, so all Patrons should continue to minimize water use so that the system utilizing only the one temporary raw water pump can keep up with that lower demand.  Minimal water use is typical winter household use, or as close to that as possible.

Even after two phone notifications, blog notifications, and street signs, demand was still high for the District for the last two days.  In order to keep water flowing to the reservoirs and other distribution mains to ensure that no water service interruptions occur, potable water trucks have been keeping the lower clear well replenished.  The trucks have been continuously pumping since early this morning and all day.   

Please check to verify your neighbors are aware of the requirement for water use conservation, as not all Patrons subscribe to the blog or have submitted a phone number for the automated call notifications.

Please keep checking the blog for further updates over the next few days.  Thank you.

Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Water Use Restricted to Essential Household Use Only

 Phone Message June 16, 2026, 05:30 PM

This is a message from the Kootenai County Water District No. 1 Board of Directors.

This is a reminder that the District contractors will be installing and connecting the new raw water intake pumps tomorrow, Wednesday, June 17^th.  This work will require the shutdown of raw water supplied to the sand filters for most of the day on Wednesday beginning at 8:00 AM.

In order to assure that water service to all Patrons is not interrupted during this installation work, minimize water use to essential household needs only on Wednesday, June 17^th.  Please turn off all landscape watering scheduled for Wednesday. 

Unfortunately, Tuesday’s water use was not minimized throughout the District, and extraordinary means, at additional expense, had to be taken this afternoon and evening to fully fill all water system processing and storage elements, from the sand filters to the reservoirs, to maximize levels over night.  Filling all system elements is necessary to ensure continuous minimal water service for the whole District during the shutdown on Wednesday, June 17^th.

Please notify your neighbors of this critical restriction of water use for Wednesday, as not all Patrons have signed up for the automated calls or subscribe to the District blog.

Please monitor the KCWD#1 blog at www.kcwd1.blogspot.com for updates.

Thank you.

Transcript of Phone Notification: Minimize Water Use Tuesday and Wednesday June 16th and 17th

 Phone Message June 15, 2026, 06:35 PM

This is a message from the Kootenai County Water District No. 1 Board of Directors.

The District contractors will be installing and connecting the new raw water intake pumps on Wednesday, June 17^th.  This work will require the shutdown of raw water supplied to the sand filters for most of the day on Wednesday.

In order to assure that water service to the District is not interrupted during this installation, Patrons are asked to minimize water use over the next two days:  Tuesday and Wednesday, June 16^th and 17^th.  The minimal use on Tuesday will allow the water system to recover and fill all water system processing and storage elements, from the sand filters to the reservoirs, to maximum levels.  This is necessary to prepare for continued minimal water service during the shutdown on Wednesday, June 17^th.

Please monitor the KCWD#1 blog at www.kcwd1.blogspot.com for further updates, and let your neighbors know about minimizing water use over the next two days, as not all Patrons have subscribed to the blog.

 

Thank you.

To be added (or update phone contact information) to receive Water District phone notifications as above, please use the form:  Emergency Phone Contact Information Form

Lake Pumphouse Power Energization and Transfer Today, Thursday, June 11, 2026

Avista will be on site with the District Contractor this morning to energize the new intake Lake Pumphouse beginning around 9:00 AM and the Contractor will be connecting the temporary pump to utility power and taking it off generator power.  There is also some pipe work that will be performed today, so the raw water pump will be off until around 3:00 PM.  

The District reservoirs should adequately supply the demand during this work, but please conserve water use today from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM.  Thank you.

WATER DISTRICT MEETING

The Board of Director's regular meeting is Wednesday May27, 2026 at 6:00 P.M. located at 6095 Mullan Trail Rd. The agenda is posted under the pages tab for agendas. 

Reminder: Please Conserve Water Use

REMINDER:  During the current rebuild of the supply water pumphouse, the Water System raw water source is being operated with a temporary single pump powered by a generator, so please conserve water use as much as possible as we do not have full pumping capability to replenish the sand filters for heavy demand.  The recent leak on Wagonwheel did cause sizeable loss to the water volume in the system and we are now in recovery mode.

IMPORTANT REQUEST:  Until the new pumphouse comes online, which may not be until the end of June or beginning of July, KCWD#1 is requesting that all property owners limit their landscape watering to odd or even days according to their address (e.g. if your address is an even number, water on even dates only).  Most automatic controllers have this option built into the scheduling software.  Also, limit the watering times to a minimum, and turn your rain delay feature on so that the sprinklers do not come on when it is raining.  Please monitor the blog for construction updates.

Please let your neighbors know about the water conservation measures request as not all Patrons subscribe to the blog.

Thank you for your cooperation! 

Wagonwheel Rd. Leak Repair Complete

The repair of the leak found yesterday on Wagonwheel Rd. is complete.

Reminder: Patrons who have had their water service interrupted, should open one inside tap slowly to vent any air that may have gotten into their plumbing, and then flush their lines until running water is clear, during first use.