City’s rehabilitation of water wells continues

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The city of Blaine is continuing its rehabilitation of the city’s water wells, and has accepted a bid for work on two more wells ahead of the hot and dry summer months, when water will be in high demand.

At Blaine city council’s February 24 regular meeting, councilmembers voted 6-0 (Alicia Rule was excused) to authorize the city manager to enter into a contract with Holt Services Inc. The company will perform work on two wells, Well 2 and Well 5.1, for a total cost of $235,232. Well 2 requires about $95,906 of work, while Well 5.1 requires about $139,326.

Introducing the agenda item to councilmembers, Blaine public works director Ravyn Whitewolf said that the work continues a maintenance project that started last year, when Holt worked on some other wells to boost their overall capacity.

“It’s actually the last two of the rehab projects that we started last year,” Whitewolf told councilmembers prior to the vote. “It affects two wells, and even though this was bid to the Small Works Roster, because the bids totaled more than $100,000, we’re bringing it to you for council approval.”

The Small Works Roster is operated by the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), a local government resource agency. By using the roster, the city of Blaine was able to reach MRSC’s network of contractors across the entire state, delivering better value to the city, said Whitewolf.

“Well 2 is the older of the two wells, installed in 1965,” continued Whitewolf. “Well 5.1 is actually a newer well, but because it’s our top production well, we want to make sure that everything is operating at its peak for the summer.”

Both of the wells are located in the city’s wellfield at the end of Pipeline Road. Well 2, originally installed in 1965 at a depth of 390 feet, was last rehabilitated in 1992, and is in need of a new pump and motor. A new drop pipe, wiring, sounding tubes and a variable frequency drive with controls will also be installed. The screen will be redeveloped and a video inspection will occur.

Well 5.1, meanwhile, was installed in 2008 and is the city’s top-performing production well at a depth of almost 700 feet. Its pump and wiring will be replaced, the well screens will be redeveloped and a video inspection will occur. Both wells will be connected to telemetry, and will be able to provide an additional 20 to 30 years of service following the project.

In response to a question from councilmember Eric Davidson, Whitewolf confirmed that the city received only one bid for the project. “Primarily because of the depth of Well 5.1, there is really only one well driller on this side of the Cascades, as I understand,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons we put it out to the Small Works Roster, instead of putting it in the Bellingham Herald for example, because that is at least getting statewide attention. But this is the same contractor that worked with us last summer and so we are pleased to be working with them again.”

In response to a question from councilmember Richard May, Whitewolf said that the city’s hydrogeologist, Associated Earth Sciences, reviewed the bid and recommended that it be awarded. “He essentially analyzed the bid and said, based on these parameters … he didn’t specifically say ‘going rate,’ but yes, he looked at each item,” she said.

This project was budgeted in the 2020 Water Capital Improvement Plan. The city has a total of 14 water wells, the majority of which are located in the city’s wellfield on Pipeline Road. Two others are located in Lincoln Park, and there are others on 12th Street and at the end of Boblett. Some of the wells were drilled in the 1990s, while others date back to the 1970s and earlier. Not all of the wells are active.

Separately, Whitewolf said that the city’s wellfield sustained about $250,000 of damage during Whatcom County’s recent “Super Bowl Flood.” She said that the structural supports for a runoff pipe were eroded, and that a road in the wellfield was also damaged. No actual wells sustained damage, however. She said that FEMA inspectors have visited the site, and that the city will be seeking FEMA reimbursement to pay for repair work expected to occur later this year.

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