Ephrata to Fully Rebuild Well #3 Pump After Emergency Failure Prompts Water Conservation Alert

EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is moving forward with a full rebuild of its Well #3 pump following a mechanical failure that prompted emergency conservation measures and a local state of emergency declaration.

The issue began when the line shaft driving the Well #3 pump broke, halting its ability to deliver water to the city’s municipal system. Well #3 provides approximately 450 gallons per minute and is one of the city’s most important sources of water.

Mayor Bruce Reim declared a local state of emergency on June 25, allowing the city to bypass standard bidding procedures and expedite repairs. While contractors were prepared to begin work immediately, a delay in critical part shipments has pushed the start of full rebuild work to Monday.

City officials now anticipate submitting water samples by Wednesday, July 2. Lab testing may take up to 48 hours. If all goes according to plan, the well could be back online by the end of next week.

“Water quality is not affected, and there is no need to boil water,” city officials stated. “This emergency strictly concerns supply capacity, not contamination.”

In the meantime, all residents and businesses are urged to continue conserving water. Suggested conservation actions include limiting outdoor irrigation, delaying car washing and pool filling, running appliances only with full loads, and fixing leaks.

City staff are also working with major water users such as the Ephrata School District and Grant County to implement further conservation measures.

Unless there is a significant change, the city will issue its next update at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 30.

For ongoing information and updates, visit www.ephrata.org or follow Ephrata City Hall on Facebook.