After hearing its application for new water rights was found “unfavorable,” the Sodaville City Council determined all was not lost because one stumbling block could ultimately be their saving cornerstone.
During its May 22 meeting, the council learned there’s likely little hope the city could obtain additional water rights, but a planned “Well 6” on Jackman family property may be able to draw water from the same water rights the city holds for Well 5.
City Administrator/Recorder Molly McGuire reported the city’s application for water rights for Well 6 was essentially denied because there wouldn’t be enough water to sustain the city’s usage, and OWRD (Oregon Water Resources Department) believes Well 6 would be drawing from the same aquifer as Well 5.
The water rights application was placed on administrative hold, allowing the city to determine its next step. The city will also rewrite the application making it possible for the city to use a $360,000 grant fund to pay for water hauling, in the case that it cannot be used to build Well 6. According to McGuire, that money could fund up to three years worth of water hauling.
At the meeting, the council was faced with determining what next steps they should take.
Sodaville could fund testing to try to prove that Well 6 was on a different aquifer. Or they could try for water rights on a different well, located halfway to Lebanon. Both options would be timely and costly.
Mayor Brian Lewis said that, regardless, new rules from the state regarding water rights are reportedly making it pretty much impossible for anyone to obtain water rights now, so there’s little guarantee Sodaville could prove successful in its endeavor. If the city ends the current application for new water rights, it would be near impossible to file again.
Another option – the one councilors decided was their best bet – is to request an amendment on its rights for Well 5, making it possible to draw water on Well 6 from Well 5’s permit since they’re both apparently drawing from the same aquifer.
Lewis said it works like this: The city is only allowed to draw a certain quantity of water from Well 5, which is currently not functioning. Upon approval by OWRD, the city could build Well 6 with the grant funds to draw from water rights the city already has. If Sodaville fixes Well 5 in the future, it could alternate between the two wells as long as they don’t go over the allowable quantity, which is “more than enough.”
“If we could get Well 6 hooked up and we can save two months worth of water hauling, it’ll be worth it,” Lewis said.
Councilors approved a motion to pursue the Well 6 project using water rights from Well 5.Councilor Joseph Parsons abstained from voting on the matter, saying he’s been against a Well 6 project from the beginning because the city hasn’t even had a conversation with the Jackman family about what it will cost to use their well.
Lewis reminded the council that if everything goes downhill, McGuire is still working on a plan to be able to use the grant funds for a few years’ worth of water hauling costs.
In other business:
- McGuire reported the city’s modified SIPP (Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Projects) application for $50,000 has been approved. The money will be used to update the city’s water system master plan.