Ruptured pipe depletes Ephrata reservoir; boil advisory issued
EPHRATA — An aging underground water main apparently ruptured overnight below an Ephrata city reservoir at the foot of Beasley Hill, depleting water supplies to numerous homes and businesses on the east and south sides of town.
City public works personnel were initially called out around 1:30 a.m. on a Labor Day Monday and began searching in the darkness for the fault. It was eventually located later in the morning about 100 yards south of the Grant County Youth Services Center on the west edge of the Bureau of Reclamation’s West Canal.
Crews were able to isolate the fault, shut off the flow, and begin rebuilding pressure from other water sources and reservoirs to restore service in the city’s system.
The city has issued a precautionary water boil advisory for the entire community. Until further notice, residents are advised not to drink or consume tap water without first boiling it for at least one minute to kill bacteria or other potential contaminants. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation.
“We have consulted with the Washington State Department of Health about this incident. We will notify you when you no longer need to boil the water,” the city announced in a Facebook post issued around 9 a.m. Other messaging methods were also used and citizens were asked to share the advisory with individuals who may not have received the notice directly.
The city said the water system will be flushed and chlorinated. Water samples will be taken from several locations around town and submitted to a state-certified laboratory for testing, which could take up to 24 hours for each round of tests.
The faulty main was located in an area overgrown by sagebrush and tall grasses — difficult to find in the dark. Rapidly flowing water continued into the irrigation canal after displacing surrounding dirt and rocks, exposing the breached pipe. The pipe itself travels beneath the canal in an eastward direction. The extent of damage was not immediately assessed.
Along with many homes, the loss of water pressure affected a number of businesses, including several downtown food service outlets. One of the initial notifications of a problem came in the early morning hours from Columbia Basin Hospital.
Several residents living in the vicinity of the county juvenile center expressed appreciation to city personnel for their efforts working in the darkness on a holiday weekend to eventually locate and make temporary repairs.
