OTHELLO – The Othello City Council passed a resolution on April 14 declaring a water emergency due to a pump failure at well number 4.

An agenda memo by Director of Public Works Robin Adolphsen explained that “well No. 4 suffered a major failure of the motor, resulting in the well not running.” Without the water supplied by well number 4, the city is left with no backup source of potable water and cannot meet water obligations under full demand. “The loss of Well 4 creates an emergency condition for the citizens of Othello,” the memo said.

Repairing the pump is expected to take weeks and may involve replacing electronic parts or the pump motor.

By approving the declaration of a water emergency, the city can bypass the normal bidding process, preventing delays in repairs that would otherwise last into the high-demand summer months. The city is not asking residents to take extra water conservation measures at this time.”