SNOHOMISH — The boil water advisory for a few dozen properties in Machias now lifted after troubles with breaks happening with the water transmission line they are served by.
The advisory was lifted after the Tribune’s early press time Friday, Feb. 24.
Crews finished the last needed fix Tuesday, Feb. 21. If all goes well, the city can begin flushing the lines for final health and safety inspections.
Looking ahead, the city has requested a meeting with Snohomish County and the Snohomish County PUD to strategize “what exactly is the long-term approach” on who’d have responsibility for the line, city administrator Heather Thomas told the City Council last week.
The transmission line once served water from the Pilchuck River to most of Snohomish. The city stopped using treated river water as one of its city drinking water sources almost 10 years ago.
The properties affected by the boil water advisory are directly tapped into the city’s old line, and their water now comes from Snohomish County PUD.
The city still owns the disused transmission line.
Replacing the whole line would cost almost $25 million when adjusting for inflation. The figure is from a city consultant’s 2009 study on the overall water system.
The line was built in 1981 and is in year 41 of what an engineering firm once estimated is a 50-year lifespan.
The last fix involved installing a new main and metered connection where a break was found near the start of the line near Robe Menzel Road in Granite Falls.
The initial leak was found Jan. 29 near Newberg Road and OK Mill Road, and a second one was identified Jan. 30 about three miles away near S. Carpenter Road.
Previous coverage:
SNOHOMISH — Additional leak spots discovered along a water transmission line serving about 75 properties in the Machias area prolonged a boil water advisory for residents and businesses that began Jan. 30. The latest break was discovered Feb. 6. A final fix for the aged pipe could cost millions, depending on what approach is taken.
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