It was learned at Sodaville’s Aug. 15 City Council meeting that well five is back online, but water restrictions are also now going into effect.
The City of Sodaville began implementing water restrictions and preparing plans to truck water in for the year as its wells begin to run low. Public Works Director J.D. Burns reported the reservoir was down about 10,000 gallons at the end of July. During his water report, he told the council that the top water user for the month was a household of two that used 18,710 gallons.
On a good note, well five is back in use… sort of.
“We did get well five online and it was doing pretty good at first,” Burns said. “But between Aug. 13 and Aug. 14 it produced less than 300 gallons, so I shut it back off.”
Burns literally stumbled on the reason why well five was no longer pumping water.
“There was a hidden gate valve that I tripped over,” he said.
As it turned out, Mayor Brian Lewis said, there was nothing wrong with the pump; it just couldn’t pump because that valve was not open. Water tests showed the water was good.
“Between the last week of July it was producing around 3,500 gallons a day,” Burns said, adding in agreement with Lewis that it started going dry at the same time well four did.
With well five now figured out, the city continues working toward its bigger project: well six.
City Administrator/Recorder Molly McGuire told the council she met with Ed Hodges of Curran-McLeod engineers, who will work on the upper portion of well six. GSI will work on the bottom portion of the well and help the city with securing water rights.
McGuire said GSI expects to submit the application for the well six water rights within the first week of September, before a new law regarding water rights is expected to go into effect (mid-September) which would make it harder for municipalities to obtain new water rights.
The city must begin its well six project before June 2025 in order to take advantage of a state-funded grant. Despite getting everything done under the wire, engineers believe Sodaville will be able to meet its deadline as long as there are no further hurdles with the Oregon Water Resources Department, McGuire said.
In other business:
- McGuire provided an update to the council about getting caught up on water bills.
- McGuire reported she was able to obtain a scholarship to attend a training conference through the League of Oregon Cities in October. She will also attend a training seminar in September with the Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders, as well as a Small Cities meeting and Valley City Managers County Administrators meeting this month.
- McGuire said she learned the city may be eligible for a reimbursement grant for security cameras through the city’s insurance company.
- McGuire reported she is looking into FEMA grants for natural hazard events. The grants can be used to help deter or prepare for natural hazards, such as fires, as well as help with post-event cleanup.
- McGuire also reported about upcoming grant opportunities with help from Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments for parks, roads and rehabbing the city’s water reservoir.
- Burns reported a soap dispenser from a public restroom was removed from the wall, so he ordered a replacement.
- Lewis told the council he plans to work on the park’s fencing and Council President Roger Perry said he received 15 gallons of donated white paint for the old store.
- Resident Peggy Bishop told the council she’d like to bring back the annual citywide yard sales.
- The council approved a motion to move its Oct. 17 meeting to Oct. 24.