Othello continues work on well 5

OTHELLO — Othello continues to deal with attempting to pull the column out of well 5.

On March 12, the well failed. An unknown problem led to the column breaking and falling down the well, explained Municipal Services Coordinator Jay Van Ness. The contractor continues to increase the pull capacity of their crane equipment to remove the roughly 30,000 pounds of column and debris without success.

Van Ness explained the contractor advised it could be a cave-in. The debris is above the static water level and if the debris is not removed, the well may be rendered useless.

If the debris is not removed soon, well 6 will need to go on line as the back up, he said.

Well 6 is problematic, according to city officials. It has an excessive fluoride level unsafe for consumption without treatment.

The city secured a $312,000 grant to begin alleviating the fluoride problem this year, but if the well is running, the work can’t be done, he said. The city may need to ask for an extension on the grant funding if well 5 is not repaired in time for the peak water season.

Van Ness said the city’s insurance carrier was contacted in reference to well 5’s failure.