Modified Watering Schedules During Hot Spell

To All Patrons,

Thank all of you that are voluntarily watering on an odd/even calendar date according to your address (Odd address number = Odd date watering; Even address number = Even date watering).  The District would like to ask you to make one more adjustment.  Please split your watering to one session in the morning and one session in the evening.  We are seeing high demand in the early morning hours, and we suspect this is a result of everyone scheduling their watering in the morning.  (This is especially true in Grouse Meadows, where those residents at higher elevations are seeing low water pressures due to all their neighbors below running their sprinklers in the morning!)

We are closely monitoring the Water System to make sure we are maximizing water output, but if we can even out the water consumption over 24 hours, the water system can more consistently handle the demand for all Patrons.

Thank you for your cooperation, and let your neighbors know about this extra step of splitting the watering sessions, in case they have not heard or seen this message.

Temporary Suspension of New Water Service Connections

To All Patrons:

At the Special Board Meeting held this morning, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to enact a Resolution, effective today, June 29, 2021, to temporarily suspend installation of new water service connections.  All Water Service applications and Will Serve requests received, and dated, prior to Tuesday, June 29, 2021, will be processed, including installation, when approved by the Board of Directors through the normal process.   In addition, contractual obligations to install water meters for the remaining Forest Lake parcels are excluded from the temporary suspension.

Due to the continuing strain on the water system's aging infrastructure, the Board determined that it is not reasonable to add additional Patrons to the system until key elements of the Bond Project are completed to assure reliable service to all existing and potentially new Patrons.

The formal Resolution will be posted to the blog when signed and sealed.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL MEETING

 KCWD1 Board of Directors special meeting is Tuesday June 29, 2021 at 11:00 am at 7739 E. Sunnyside Rd.  The agenda can be viewed on the Agenda pages tab.

Transcript of Automated Call Saturday, June 26, 2021, 8:48 AM

 Phone Message June 25, 2021 8:48 AM

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

Thank you all for conserving water use over the last 24 hours.  The reservoir was able to recover completely from yesterday through the night, and the system is operating normally.

We now believe that the event yesterday was most likely caused by control system malfunctioning, and our service contractor has ordered some new components that will be installed early next week.  Until then we are monitoring the control system frequently and verifying readings with direct observation of system water levels.

At this time, Patrons can resume normal water use.  However, we are asking all Patrons to voluntarily stagger irrigation on an odd/even date schedule during the summer months.  If your address is an even number, please irrigate on even numbered calendar dates only.  If your address is an odd number, please irrigate on odd numbered calendar dates only.  Since many sprinkler timers use days instead of dates for setting up automatic watering schedules, it may require resetting at the end of the month.

If most, or all, Patrons voluntarily change to this watering schedule, we can avoid very high peak use days, and allow the plant pumps some needed down time.

Please pass this information on to your neighbors as some have not provided, or updated, a phone number for automated notifications.

As always, please monitor the blog at www.kcwd1.blogspot.com for important information and updates for the District.

 

Thank you.

Transcript of Automated Call 25June2021 12:45 PM

 Phone Message June 25, 2021 12:45 PM

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

Water service outages were not District wide as reported earlier on the District blog this morning.  Instead, Patrons at higher elevations in the District were affected by a very low water level in the main reservoir early this morning. From review of the data, we had an unexplained very high draw down of water between midnight and 5:30 AM, followed by the 40 HP pump shutting down, indicating a phase fault, around 4:00 AM.  We have not discovered, or have any reports of, a large leak anywhere in the District, and as the reservoir is currently now recovering, we are not sure that a leak caused the draw down. We have not discovered the cause for the large water draw down of approximately 100,000 gallons between midnight and early morning, and are continuing to investigate. We are also investigating why the pump is shutting down. 

The water system plant is making and pumping at full capacity right now and we need your help to fully recover the reservoir and continue to investigate to find the causes for this event.

PLEASE STOP ALL OUTSIDE WATERING AND ANY UNNECESSARY WATER USE SUCH AS CAR WASHING AND RECREATIONAL USE, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR NEIGHBORS SO THAT EVERYONE GETS THIS MESSAGE!

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

 

Please pass this information on to your neighbors as some have not provided, or updated, a phone number for automated notifications.

 

Thank you.

Water Service Interruption throughout District!

Update:  The water outages were not District wide as reported earlier.  Patrons at higher elevations were affected by a very low water level in the main reservoir.  From review of the data, we had an unexplained, at this time, very high draw down of water between midnight and 5:30 AM.  We have not discovered any large leak as of yet.  However, if a large number of Patrons are irrigating between midnight and early morning, this could be causing a large demand on the system.

We are making and pumping at full capacity right now and we need your help!

PLEASE TURN OFF ALL OUTSIDE WATERING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR NEIGHBORS SO THAT EVERYONE GETS THIS MESSAGE!

___________

First reports of Water Service interruptions in the District started coming in around 4:30 AM this morning.  The reservoir was full around 7:00 PM yesterday evening, and is now very low.  This means that around 100,000+ gallons were "used" between then and early this morning!

We need your help!  We are suspecting a major break and leak somewhere in the District, and we have not gotten any reports.  

PLEASE REPORT ANY UNUSUAL SURFACE WATER THAT YOU OBSERVE ASAP.  WE HAVE BEEN OUT DRIVING AROUND LOOKING AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING SO FAR.

PLEASE CONSERVE WATER USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

Leak on Little Joe Rd. - Water Service Interruption

A leak was discovered on Little Joe Rd. this morning, impacting Water Service to Patrons on Cartwright, Hoss, and Little Joe Rd.  District personnel are responding, and have begun repair work.   Estimated time of restoration of Water Service is 6:00 PM this evening.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

 The KCWD1 Board meeting is Wednesday June 23, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. at 7739 E. Sunnyside Rd. View the agenda on the agendas pages.

Water Service Interruption Due to Meter Installation

Update 6:45 PM:  Crew ran into some complications today that extended work time.  Water mains are pressurizing now, and Patrons who were affected should see restoration of water service shortly.  Thank you for your patience.

Update 11:00 AM:  Water service restoration estimated by 4:00 PM.

Due to a water meter installation this morning on Vista Loop that requires a bore and main tie-in, Patrons on upper Vista Loop, some locations on E Highview Dr. will experience water service interruptions until the main from which the water meter will be installed is uncovered, and shut-off valves are re-opened.  Typical installations require several hours.

Long Hot Summer - Water Conservation Request

To All Patrons:

The District asks that you voluntarily water landscaping on odd or even days according to your address; i.e. if your address is an even number, water on even numbered dates; if your address is an odd number, water on odd numbered dates.  If all, or most, Patrons voluntarily take these measures, we can lower peak daily demands, allowing the pumps in the main pump house a chance to rest instead of operating 24/7 during the hot summer months.

As not everyone in the District monitors the blog, please let your neighbors know about this request, so that we can get the highest participation possible.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Low Water Level in Reservoir at 8:00 AM

Update 2:00 PM:  Control System reset and both pumps on line.  System being monitored; reservoir slowly recovering.

To all Patrons:

The Reservoir is still very low, so please conserve water use throughout the day.  The plant Control System does not seem to be functioning correctly, so we have our service provider coming in to troubleshoot and test to ensure that the system is responding to demand and the pumps are functioning correctly.