$1M to go toward replacing Metaline Falls drinking water main

Months after an aging Metaline Falls, Washington, drinking water main burst, the Pend Oreille County Public Utility District has received $1 million in grants and loans to replace the main and stabilize the land around it.

The damaged mains ruptured in two places on Oct. 17, according to a news release, leaving 200 locals without water for nine hours. The thousands of gallons of water escaping the mains per minute destabilized the hillside below and washed debris onto Washington state Highway 31.

Temporary water lines have been in place since the incident; however, they are unsustainable, the release said.

The county received $500,000 in grants and $500,000 in low-interest loans from the Washington state Public Works Board for the reparation project.

“This grant and loan are a lifeline for our community,” John Janney, manager for the Pend Oreille utilities department, said in the news release. “Without this funding, the risks to our residents, local businesses and critical infrastructure would continue to grow.”

The funds will be used to replace the waterline, implement erosion control on the hillside for stabilization and add safeguards to Highway 31, according to the release.

The release said the project should be completed by summer.