Update Sunday Morning

To all Patrons:

As of 11:00 AM this morning, it seems that power has been restored to most of the District.  Unfortunately, Grouse Meadows' power still hasn't been restored, so the Booster Pump Station that serves that area is also still down, so those Patrons still do not have water service.

If you missed last night's late update, power was restored to the Main Pump House on Sunnyside and the generator was disconnected at 7:00 PM.  Still no communication lines between the Raw Water Intake Pump House and the Main Pump House, and the last update we got is that it may be Monday when those lines will be repaired.  This means that the Raw Water Intake pumps must be manually turned on and off.

As of last night, there were only 16 cases of drinking water left at the Fire Station.  Please do not take one if you do not need it!

AGAIN A REMINDER! DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER COMING FROM THE SYSTEM AT THIS TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE BOILED THE WATER FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE.

THE WATER, AS SUPPLIED, CAN BE USED FOR ALL NON-POTABLE USES INCLUDING TOILET FLUSHING, LAUNDRY, SHOWERS (DO NOT DRINK!), AND LIVESTOCK.

THE DISTRICT WILL NOTIFY PATRONS WHEN THE WATER PRODUCED BY THE SYSTEM HAS TESTED AS BEING SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

Thank you to the Patrons that have responded by emailing us an emergency phone contact number, or updated their numbers.  My last count was that I still have about 50 Patrons that have not provided us with a contact number, and there are a number that need to update our records as the calls did not seem to go through on the numbers we have on file.  So keep reminding your neighbors about how important it is to email the District with that information at custserv.kcwd1@gmail.com.

Wanted to make everyone aware of the tireless work that JD Owen has done, especially over the last five days, during this emergency.  He is everywhere, it seems, in the District checking to make sure we are recovering the system.  If you see him, give him a shout out "Thank you!"

Update Saturday Evening

 Special Update 8:30 PM:  Just got the word.  Main Pump house on Sunnyside Road had Avista Power restored and Generator was disconnected at approximately 7:00 PM.

To All Patrons:

Water service is returning slowly to most of the District.  Avista was not able to restore power to the Main Pump House today, and it is still being run by generator power.  Control System communication between the Raw Water Intake Pump House and the Main Pump House is still down, and the latest update is that the line may be repaired on Monday. 

All Patrons who are served by the Grouse Meadows Booster Pump Station are still without water service, as that Booster Pump station power has not been restored.   

AS A REMINDER, DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER COMING FROM THE SYSTEM AT THIS TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE BOILED THE WATER FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE.

THE WATER, AS SUPPLIED, CAN BE USED FOR ALL NON-POTABLE USES INCLUDING TOILET FLUSHING, LAUNDRY, SHOWERS (DO NOT DRINK!), AND LIVESTOCK.

THE DISTRICT WILL NOTIFY PATRONS WHEN THE WATER PRODUCED BY THE SYSTEM HAS TESTED AS BEING SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

We are down to our last half pallet of drinking water staged at the Fire Station, and Costco is currently out of stock.  Please do not take any water if you do not need it, so that your fellow Patrons who do need drinking water will have a supply.  District personnel are setting out 8-10 cases whenever they pass the Station as they travel from one area of the District to another to work on getting the system back up and running, but we do not have the staff to be on location all day.  Please only take one case.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

FYI.  We have received several more Emergency Contact Numbers today, along with changes to numbers we had on file for several Patrons, so please encourage your neighbors to email a phone number to the Customer Service email:  custserv.kcwd1@gmail.com so that they can be contacted by the automatic call service.  Please note that CallMultiplier is the service that does the calls, and the phone number will be an out of state number (Oklahoma).  There may be Patrons that are not answering because they do not recognize the number.  The service will call a phone number a maximum of five times before it stops.

Please check back on this blog for further updates.

Update Saturday Morning

To all Patrons:

Bringing the Water System back online is a slow process.  We still do not have automated controls operating between the main Pump House and the Raw Water Intake Pump House due to lines still being down, so certain pumps have to be manually turned on and off.  In addition, we may need to flush water to waste streams from the sand filters periodically.  As a result, you may experience fluctuating low pressures during this process over the next few days. We are boosting chlorine injections into the filtered water as part of the start up process.

AS A REMINDER, DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER COMING FROM THE SYSTEM AT THIS TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE BOILED THE WATER FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE.

THE WATER CAN BE USED FOR ALL NON-POTABLE USES INCLUDING TOILET FLUSHING, LAUNDRY, SHOWERS (DO NOT DRINK!), LIVESTOCK.

IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, EMPTY ANY ICE FROM AUTOMATIC ICE MAKERS AND TURN THE ICE MAKER OFF.  DO NOT TURN THE ICE MAKER BACK ON UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE DISTRICT THAT THE WATER IS SAFE AND YOU HAVE REPLACED YOUR REFRIGERATOR FILTERS.

As the District is using an automated call system to notify Patrons of important information, if you have not provided the District with an emergency contact phone number, please email it ASAP to custserv.kcwd1@gmail.com, so that you can be added to the list.  The District will only use this automated call system in emergencies.

Cases of drinking water are at the Fire Station being kept in a locked horse trailer, and periodically we are setting out a number of cases for Patrons to pick up.  We apologize for the inconvenience, but we do not want the supply to "walk away".  District personnel are not able to be on site throughout the day to distribute this water, as we are working at numerous sites around the District working on getting the system back up as quickly as we can.

Please pass this information on to your neighbors!

Update Friday Evening

To all Patrons:

Some good news!  Avista was able to restore power to the Raw Water Intake Pump house, so we are now pumping lake water to the sand filter bays.  In addition, our electrical contractor has connected a generator provided by Kootenai County Emergency Response to power the main Pump House.

It is estimated that it will take 48-72 hours to fully recover the system, so PLEASE CONSERVE WATER USE OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS.

PLEASE DO NOT DRINK ANY WATER BEING PRODUCED AT THIS TIME UNLESS YOU HAVE BOILED IT FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE!  TO BE ABSOLUTELY SAFE, CONTINUE TO DRINK BOTTLED WATER.  WAIT UNTIL THE DISTRICT NOTIFIES PATRONS THAT THE WATER HAS BEEN CONFIRMED SAFE BEFORE DRINKING OR TURNING ON AUTOMATIC ICE MAKERS. CHANGE YOUR REFRIGERATOR FILTERS BEFORE TURNING ON ICE MAKER.  THIS WATER CAN BE USED FOR ALL NON-POTABLE PURPOSES SUCH AS TOILET FLUSHING, LAUNDRY, SHOWERS, LIVESTOCK, ETC.

January 15, 2021 Special Board Meeting Cancelled

Due to the power outage and continuing issues resulting from the windstorm, this evening’s scheduled Special Board Meeting has been cancelled.  We will reschedule to a new date and time, which will be posted per the requirements of Open Meeting Laws.  Thank you for your understanding.

Update, Friday AM

To all Patrons:

Portable Toilets are at the Fire Station on Sunnyside Rd. for KCWD#1 Patrons’ use.

Kootenai County Emergency Response would not cross down power lines to deliver bottled water, so District personnel went to Costco to obtain the two pallets of bottled water and have brought them back to the Fire Station for pick-up by Patrons.  Please remember that there are about 750 people in our District so do not take more than what you might need for today, so that all Patrons can receive some drinking water.

We have some hopeful news.  Avista has finally understood the impact of this power outage on the KCWD#1 Water District and has mobilized to get power to the Raw Water Intake Pump House as well as the main Pump house.  They are hoping to get these facilities on line today!  It will take at least 24 hours to re-pressurize the full system, with all pumps working around the clock, so continue to conserve water use!

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE WATER PRODUCED INITIALLY IS NOT FOR DRINKING UNLESS IT IS BOILED FOR AT LEAST ONE MINUTE!

The District will let you know when the water is safe to drink after testing and monitoring over the next week.

Please check back on this blog this evening for another update.

Timing Regarding Depressurization of the Water System

To all Patrons:

In addition to the information previously posted, the depressurization of the system is estimated to have occurred between 6 PM and Midnight, Wednesday, January 14, 2021.  Water flowing, even at low pressures, after that time was gravity fed from what was remaining in the various reservoirs and distribution mains.

Again, any water that was, and is still, available after the system depressurization must be boiled for at least one minute before drinking.  To be safe, we advise drinking bottled water, instead, and using any water that is still flowing, if absolutely necessary, for non-drinking purposes such as toilet flushing, laundry, etc.

When full water service is restored, the water initially produced must be boiled by Patrons for at least one minute before drinking, until the District notifies all Patrons that the water system has passed all testing and standards that ensures that our water is safe for drinking.