UPDATE ON LAKE PUMPS

THE SECOND PUMP WAS SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED AND IS FULLY OPERATIONAL.  PATRONS CAN RESUME NORMAL WATER USE.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND SEEING THE DISTRICT THROUGH THESE IMPROVEMENTS.  

Raw Water Pumphouse Construction Update Thursday Evening, June 18, 2026

Construction Update 8:00 PM:  The pumps were successfully connected to piping and power today, and initial pump start-up and testing was performed.   A special thank you to a Patron that texted a reminder this morning that tomorrow, Friday, June 19th, is a Federal Holiday, and Idaho State government offices would also be closed.  The District Engineers, Contractor, and District Personnel were able to satisfactorily document an interim operational plan needing approval by the local DEQ engineer, which was received this afternoon.

At this time, one of the new pumps is operating, in manual mode, and moving water to the sand filters.  The District system operator will be monitoring the water levels in the various processing and storage elements, throughout the system, and manually operating the new raw water pump overnight and into the morning to optimize system recovery.   The contractor and subcontractors will be working tomorrow to get the other pumps running and testing the controls.  It is anticipated that controls will need adjustments and fine tuning during the next few weeks of this initial period of operation to optimize system performance.

As the work tomorrow will necessitate some shutdown periods, the District asks that Patrons continue to use water conservatively on Friday.

Please monitor the blog for updates.  Thank you. 

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.