Wenatchee repairs huge drinking water tank for $1.3 million

Wenatchee is making progress in repairing its largest drinking water plant and a leaky valve.

The City Council has approved design work to fix leaks in the 30 million gallon drinking water reservoir on Jefferson Street and the valve at the corner of 5th Street and Miller.

Jessica Shaw, Wenatchee’s deputy director of public works, says the repairs are necessary because water leaks are on the rise.

“Over the years, leakage in our system has increased,” Shaw said. “Now it’s over 20 percent, which is not a good sign. But repairing this reservoir will help reduce that, so this is a priority project.”

To move the project forward, the city will spend a total of $173,200 in engineering costs – $109,500 for the reservoir and $63,700 for the 5th St Valve.

Gray & Osborne Consultants has been selected as the technical planning consultant for the rehabilitation of the reservoir and will carry out the work.

The leaky 5th and Miller valve was added to the project because it is the supply line to the reservoir and the best time to repair the valve would be when the reservoir is empty for repairs.

Work to repair the storage tank includes lining the tank with geomembranes to prevent leaks. Safety improvements will also be made, including a new external ladder, replacing an internal ladder and installing a railing along the roof around the access ladder and hatch.

A cost estimate from Gray & Osborne was $2.3 million for a complete upgrade of the 30 million gallon tank. The city is only making repairs and upgrades to the highest priority components, reducing the total cost to $1.3 million.

The city will attempt to complete repairs over the course of next winter.

“If everything goes quickly and we make progress, we may be able to make the repairs this winter,” Shaw said. “In order to make the repairs, the tank will have to be shut down and taken out of service for several months. We can only do that in the winter.”