Mobile park's water issues linger

POST FALLS - The water situation at the Arundel by the River mobile home park - murky since May - remains that way despite residents being told the problem would be rectified three weeks ago.

Residents in the 56-unit park along the Spokane River off McGuire Road have been boiling their drinking water or buying bottled water due to river algae and excessive lead in the private system.

"I've boiled so much that it's starting to ruin my pots," said Bruce Mullen, a resident in the park. "There's been broken promises. They've been stringing us along, saying that they're working on it. I don't feel like things are any different today than they were in May. There's no resolution in sight as far as I can see.

"The quality comes and goes, but the pressure is still terrible."

Park residents are actually encouraged to use only bottled water at this time, said Suzanne Scheidt, drinking water program supervisor at the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

"The department does not recommend users boil their water as it may increase lead level concentrations," Scheidt said. "While the department understands water clarity has improved, measures to correct water quality issues have not yet been implemented by the owner."

But Brenda Evans, manager of The Rental Connection, the landlord of the park, said she sympathizes with the residents and expects the advisory to be lifted within the next two weeks.

Residents are now having their rent reduced for their cost of bottled water since June 1, she said. If residents are unable to buy drinking water, the company has offered to have it delivered, Evans said.

"We've already started to reimburse," she said. "We've tried to keep the residents informed as much as possible. All we have to do is get one (clean) test back before we can lift the advisory."

At a meeting in late August, park residents were told the problem would be fixed in about two weeks.

The park's owners have retained an engineer to develop a long-term plan to correct issues, which residents say have lingered for several years.

"The engineer has communicated to DEQ that a draft plan will be available on or before Oct. 13," Scheidt said. "The plan will then be reviewed by DEQ and a timeline for implementation of the selected corrective action will be required of the owner.

"DEQ is encouraged that the engineer retained by the owner appears motivated to find a solution to current water quality issues."

Options to address the issues include: iron filtration, surface water treatment and corrosion control, drilling a well and connecting to a neighboring water supply.

The owners were advised by DEQ in September of their responsibility to provide a safe and adequate water supply to the residents and were encouraged to supply bottled water until the problem is solved.

Scheidt said DEQ has the authority to fine the owners for failing to comply with public drinking water laws, but declined to comment on the enforcement portion of the case.

Evans said DEQ last spring required the owners to stop the system's filtration system and change the chemicals, which seemed to snowball the water problems.

Another water filtration system is back online, and a clean test must come back for the advisory to be lifted, Evans said.