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<br />September 16,1999
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<br />Terry Maurer, City Engineer
<br />AElk River City Hall
<br />W13065 Orono Parkway
<br />Elk River MN 55330
<br />
<br />Dear Mr: Maurer:
<br />
<br />On August 16, 1999, the well at our home went dry. This is a direct result of the dewatering being done for the sewer and
<br />water construction on the Tyler Street project about 1000 feet from our house. Four weeks have passed, and our well
<br />has still not returned. The water level of the pond on our property seems to be returning very slowly, but that has occurred
<br />in only the last day or so.
<br />
<br />As I was unaware there was a problem on that Monday evening, I had started to wash a load of clothes. Because the
<br />washer attempted to pump water when there was none, a valve in the washer was damaged and needed to be replaced.
<br />
<br />Jim was able to turn off our pump on the evening of August 16 and prepare our water system to be connected to an
<br />outside water source. Wrthout this plumbing knowledge and ability, it would have been necessary to hire a plumber that
<br />evening, paying emergency call rates. He is also able to periodically reconnect the pump to see if the well water has
<br />returned.
<br />
<br />For the first three days, we obtained water from our neighbor to the east, Lloyd and Claire Schneider. The Schneiders
<br />became concerned about the integrity of their water supply, as their well is not a "deep" well either, and requested that
<br />another source be found. We were then connected to our neighbor to the west. After a couple of weeks had passed,
<br />he too became concemed with the heavy, near constant use of his pump and also requested that this arrangement end.
<br />He has his house for sale, and it is certainly not a recommended sales technique to have a hose running off the property
<br />to a neighbor's house! As it now appears that our well is in the first stages of recovery, the Schneiders agreed to allow
<br />us to use their water supply, with the restrictions of no non-vital uses (no clothes washing, no plant watering, etc.)
<br />
<br />Although we are grateful for our neighbors' understanding and generosity in allowing us to hook up to their water supplies,
<br />it is far from an ideal situation. While I am sure the water passes quality tests, the water from our neighbor to the west
<br />.has an extremely high iron content. In addition to passing through several hundred feet of vinyl hose, the iron content
<br />ives the water a taste that is unacceptable. We found it necessary to purchase bottled water for drinking. In addition,
<br />our bathtub has been permanently stained with rust and will need to be refinished as soon as the water situation is
<br />resolved. We also had to wash our white clothes at a laundromat, which takes time away from Wendy's job (she works
<br />at home for part of the week). If our well does not return within the next few days, all of our clothes washing will need to
<br />be done at the laundromat.
<br />
<br />The inconvenience of these temporary water sources is considerable. The first night, August 16, a niece was visiting us
<br />from Washington state. As it was necessary for us to deal with this emergency, we were unable to spend time with her
<br />at all. Since August 16, we have been unable to water our garden or outside plants, so most of those plants have died.
<br />We have limited our clothes washing and showering as much as possible. We have to purchase and carry drinking water
<br />from the store. If a member of one household takes a shower, washes a load of clothes, or runs the dishwasher, it lowers
<br />the water pressure in the other household significantly. Last Sunday, the neighbor washed his cars using the outside
<br />faucet that was supplying water to our house; certainly a reasonable thing to do on a nice fall afternoon. During that time,
<br />of course, we had no water at all. When the car washing was through, they overlooked reattaching the hose until we
<br />knocked on the door and asked them to. We have been forced, through no fault of our own, to rely on the compassion
<br />and generosity of neighbors for one of the basic necessities of life!
<br />
<br />We have lived in this neighborhood for 22 years, and have never had a problem with the quality or quantity of the well
<br />water. During this period of time, there has been at least one of serious drought, and our water was never in short supply.
<br />To our knowledge, neither of the neighbors who have agreed to help us out have been offered any compensation for
<br />allowing us the use of water, pump, and electricity. In addition, no one from the contracting company had been in contact
<br />with the neighbors as the project has progressed until we sought out the contractor and told them they need to talk to the
<br />people who are being so inconvenienced by this project.
<br />
<br />I have listed the direct expenses incurred by us to date due to our well going dry. We expect to be reimbursed for these
<br />costs.
<br />
<br />Jim and Wendy Klein
<br />10528 - 175th Avenue NW
<br />_Ik River MN 55330
<br />.12-441-5276
<br />
<br />cc: S.R. Weidema, Contractors
<br />Mayor Stephanie Klinzing
<br />Paul Motin, City Council
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