Arlington back to using own water source after contamination fears

ARLINGTON — Arlington residents are drinking their own water again.

Even if people hadn’t noticed it, the city replaced its primary water supply with water from the Snohomish County Public Utility District for more than a month, at a cost that could run into the six figures.

The reason: fear that contamination from the Oso mudslide would leech into the city’s well water.

Haller Well, about 60 feet from the Stillaguamish River in Haller Park, supplies about 89 percent of the city’s drinking water, according to the city’s annual water quality report.

When the slide blocked the North Fork Stillaguamish on March 22 and the river began to back up behind the mudslide debris field, the fear was that a sudden failure of the dam would send a flash flood downstream and damage the well.

“We didn’t know what would be coming down that river,” Mayor Barbara Tolbert said.

The decision was made to turn off the pumps and draw water from the county.

The city maintains a long-term contract with the Snohomish County Public Utility District to buy up to 1,000 gallons of water per day.

Arlington Public Works director James Kelly said that PUD water normally serves only customers who live outside the area of the well’s pressure zone, or is used to handle peak demand on hot summer days.

In this case, PUD water replaced the city’s supply entirely and remained that way for more a month because of fear of contamination from slide debris.

While the water in the well is groundwater, the well is close enough to the river that sediment or contaminants in the river can get into the well water, Kelly said.

Testing of the river in the days after the slide showed a high degree of turbidity, or lack of clarity, as well as levels of antimony, arsenic, chromium and lead that were above state and federal limits for drinking water.

That could have contaminated the city’s drinking water had the well been active, Kelly said.

“A lot of this we did for the safety of our customers,” Kelly said.

It wasn’t until April 22, a month after the slide, that the levels of contaminants in the river had dropped to within acceptable ranges and the city began pumping water from the well again.

The well pumping increased gradually and, by May 1, was up to full production.

How much this will cost the city is not known, but Tolbert guessed Arlington could be on the hook for between $100,000 and $200,000 for the PUD’s water.

She said the city would work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to see how much can be reimbursed.

Municipalities can be compensated for some emergency expenses under major disaster declarations, said Donald Jacks, assistant external affairs officer for FEMA.

FEMA has closed the three Disaster Recovery Centers in Washington it had operated after the mudslide but is still operating out of the Snohomish County Family Resource Center in Darrington.

The process for a city like Arlington involves working with Snohomish County and the state to identify which expenses FEMA might cover. The process is the same that has been used in other major disasters. The disaster declaration covers impacts to government and tribal agencies as well as individuals, as in the case of Hurricane Katrina and Super Storm Sandy, Jacks said.

Chris Winters: 415-374-4165 or cwinters@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Police: Teen in stolen car flees cops, causes crash in Lynnwood

The crash blocked traffic for over an hour at 176th Street SW. The boy, 16, was arrested on felony warrants.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.