Moyie Springs waterline repairs completed

MOYIE SPRINGS — The city's waterline is back in business.

Moyie Springs officials announced late Friday morning that the waterline had been fixed and the city was again running water to city residents and customers.

"We thank all of you for your patience and for conserving water," Donna Wilson-Funkhouser, city clerk, said in an email statement announcing that repairs had been completed.

Moyie Springs officials also thanked Three Mile Water District for its support and for supplying the city with water since the city's waterline broke and caused a several-hundred-foot landslide. 

"We all owe a great thank you to Three Mile Water District for supplying our water for the last 2 1/2 months," Wilson-Funkhouser said. "We greatly appreciate their help." 

City officials also thanked John Nelson, its Public Works supervisor; Chris Jensen, Public Works assistant; Nelson Land Management, Idaho Forest Group, Century West Engineering, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for their assistance and hard work since the March 24 failure of the waterline.     

Failure of the 55-year-old pipe caused 700-800 gallons of water per minute to pour from the main waterline for five to six hours before it was discovered. The event caused a landslide that sent tons of earth into the canyon of the Moyie River.

The city declared a state of emergency and issued a conservation order that asked residents to limit water use. Moyie Springs officials also worked with Idaho Forest Group officials on an easement to build a new line to its system.

Repairs to the system are being funded by a $130,840 low-interest drinking water construction loan from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. The funds from DEQ’s State Revolving Loan Fund, which is capitalized annually by grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, provide funding with no repayment obligation. 

The favorable loan terms represent a $220,135 savings compared to average costs for municipal general obligation debt issuances.