Othello well in good condition

Testing materials to be sent down

OTHELLO - The inside of well number six in Othello is in good condition and testing will continue as planned.

Hydrologist Kevin Lindsey said a video camera was sent down the well last Tuesday and presented the results to the council Monday.

The camera did not reveal any obstacles that will affect further investigation of fluoride sources and aquifer locations, he said.

The well is straight and has minimal rubble. The two aquifers do not appear to be commingling at the bottom, Lindsey said.

It should be easy to implement tubing down the pump due to how straight the well is, he said. The tubing is used to identify the fluoride sources so the council can consider how to seal them off in the fall when the well is not in use.

Lindsey said there was advanced mineralization at certain levels of the well that may not be a problem in the future. He said the council may want to consider cleaning the calcite that has built up on the walls in some areas.

Bacteria commonly found in wells was located and was minimal, Lindsey added.

Approximately 992 feet down the well a screen and liner were located in nearly perfect condition. He said the council should leave it intact, if they are able, because it may be too evasive to remove.

Approximately 12 feet of the well was filled in at the bottom due to collected debris but does not pose a problem, Lindsey said. The well was originally 1,208 feet deep.

Materials to conduct testing will be placed down the well and it will be ready for use this summer. Once it's no longer needed for emergencies, the well will go off-line and be repaired in the fall.

Well number six is the largest-producing well in the city. It can pump up to 3,100 gallons of water per minute. Council began investigating repairs last year to make the well a viable year-round drinking water source.