New water line could lead to million-gallon tank

COEUR d'ALENE — A $2.4 million water main is scheduled to begin next week and residents in the area will be impacted.

Aline Northwest will be installing a new 16-inch transmission main along 15th Street from Margaret Avenue to Thomas Lane, and then east to outside the city limits, where a new water tank will be installed to help meet demand on the northeast side of town.

Phase One is set to start July 29 and is expected to take about 30 days. It calls for using heavy equipment to excavate asphalt and material to install the new water line.

In Phase Two, construction will continue east on Thomas Lane from 15th Street going east to the city limits. Work could be stopped until spring due to weather conditions.

For residents in the area, it could be a headache. They should expect periodic water shutdowns, road closures and detours, impeded driveway access at times and no street parking.

Water Department Director Kyle Marine previously told the City Council that in the 2012 Water Comprehensive Plan Update, the need for additional water storage was identified due to the city's growth in the northeast end. The new water reservoir with 1 million gallons of storage is projected to meet that demand.

According to a city report, “Staff believes an accelerated schedule is needed to prevent impending water pressure and quantity issues.”

"The addition of the new tank is intended to eliminate pressure reduction during peak demands as well as augment suitable fire flows for the northeast quadrant of the city," the report said.

Coeur d’Alene has 11 wells, all of which operate in the summer and can produce more than 40 million gallons a day.