Water System Emergency Update 6:15 PM, February 11, 2025

Update:  Crew completed repair of the raw water inlet main at around 4:00 PM this afternoon.  The raw water pumps were then restarted to begin pumping source water to the sand filters and begin system recovery.  It will take at least 12-18 hours to fully recover the levels of the Sand Filters, Contact Chamber and Reservoir. 

At around 8:00 PM this evening, Patrons can begin to repressurize their plumbing by slowly by opening one inside faucet to vent air from their lines.

Please continue to minimize household water use until notified by the District that the system is fully recovered.

Until testing is completed over the next few days to confirm that the water is safe, do not use the water for human consumption per the DO NOT DRINK ADVISORY below: 

DRINKING WATER WARNING

Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable.

Tradúzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.

 

System Name and PWS ID#: Kootenai County Water District No. 1  PWS ID # 1280106

DO NOT DRINK ADVISORY

- Aviso para no beber el agua potable -

 

Due to Drop in Pressure

We routinely monitor the conditions in the drinking water distribution system. On February 10, 2025 we experienced a drop in water pressure below 20 psi/loss of pressure due to a break in the raw water inlet main which interrupted the production of water in the system. A drop in/loss of water pressure creates conditions that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system through backflow, by backpressure, or back-siphonage. As a result, there is an increased chance that the drinking water may contain disease-causing organisms. In addition to the loss of pressure, water sampling over the last few years has indicated actionable levels of lead possible in older homes in our District which means you cannot boil the water. High levels of certain contaminants will increase/concentrate the levels, making them more harmful to public health. 

What should I do?

§  DO NOT BOIL and DO NOT DRINK THE WATER. Bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling the water with elevated levels of chemical contaminants, such as arsenic, lead, and nitrates, will increase/concentrate the levels, making them more harmful to public health.

 

§  Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

§  The symptoms above are caused by many types of organisms. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

What is being done?

As the repairs have been completed and the system is back online, the District will be doing field testing of water samples to verify that the water is not contaminated with disease-causing organisms. 

We will inform you when your water is safe to drink. We anticipate resolving the problem within a week.

 

For more information, please contact KCWD#1 at (208) 667-0340 or custserv.kcwd1@gmail.com

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.