Voght Well testing fails, Level Three Water Restrictions Apply
Voght Well being worked on (Photo Credit City of Merritt)
Jul 11, 2024 | 7:50 PM
Roger White
Residents of the City of Merritt are again asking residents to limit their water usage after tests to the Voght Well failed on Thursday afternoon.
On Tuesday, the Voght Well was forced to shut down after a gasket burst, spraying high-pressure water throughout the pumphouse, causing damage to the electrical system, resulting in a significant failure that has affected the City of Merritt’s water distribution system.
Crews were able to replace the gasket and conduct high-pressure testing to place the pipe back in service, but were advised to allow the electrical system to dry before testing and repair.
After allowing the electrical system to dry for 48 hours, the electrical engineer conducted testing on Thursday. The testing work identified that some electrical components failed. While these pumps are now functional, the electrical system for water treatment is not yet working.
Crews are working on sourcing materials and establishing timelines for a complete repair. These two wells will not be put back into service until the water treatment system is functional.
Thankfully, city officials say they had been able to put the recently repaired Collettville Pump Station into service and increase output levels of all the three remaining water pumps, to compensate for this supply deficit, and provide all residents with clean, potable water.
The conservation efforts of all residents, and the diligent work of our expert staff and contractors, have enabled the City to fill the reservoirs and maintain full supply levels during this time of disruption. While the City still needs to work on the failed systems, it is expected that the City will be able to maintain normal service in the short term.
However, the City water supply is not back to full operational capacity. The City is currently only running three of its five wells, the City does not currently have a back-up supply of potable water, if any new pump failures occur.
The City is returning to Level 3 Water Restrictions, limiting lawn watering to two times a week. Residents are always encouraged to practice water conservation efforts.
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