Soap Lake mineral water back on

SOAP LAKE - Soap Lake City Council members received good news Wednesday allowing the city to open the mineral water line, flooding the community with economic opportunities that have been stymied for months.

Soap Lake Mayor Raymond Gravelle said the state Department of Health told the city that the system can be turned back on. "They'll be proceeding with that immediately," he said. Though a few stipulations are included with the department's order.

The non-potable mineral water line struck a leak earlier this year, cutting off service to several downtown businesses that rely on the water's touted healing abilities.

The lack of the lake's waters caused a harsh downturn for several local business this fall.

The Department of Health was concerned that the lines could contaminate drinkable water lines throughout the city. As long as city public works officials comply by capping the line at Main Street, putting a control valve near the reservoir, and start separating the 60-plus connections that don't use the water service, the system should be back and running by the end of the year.

"Hopefully in early December," Gravelle said. "Businesses are very excited in terms of the timeline. They didn't think it could happen this fast, but I know how important it is for our community's economic vitality to get the water running again."

"That is fantastic," Sandra Garnett, co-owner of the Inn at Soap Lake echoed. "It's unbelievable. Everybody that calls, when we tell them there's not mineral water, they say that's what they're coming for."

Garnett and her husband Dick said the lack of water has had a tremendous impact on their business over the last few months.

Another stipulation to reinstate the line is that business owners and residential customers would have to install a back-flow prevention systems. The Inn at Soap Lake was quoted $1,700 for the system, Garnett said.

Gravelle suggested the council review current rates for the mineral water system, including hook up fees, metering and creating a rate structure to recover the $8,000 to $10,000 the city spent to repair the line. Councilmembers are expected to take up the issue at their next meeting, rescheduled to Nov. 20 because of the Thanksgiving holiday.