EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Well 1R Reconstruction and Pump Station

Varela client since 2007

The university’s challenge
EWU spent a significant amount of funds to construct a new well to serve this beautiful campus. Problems during construction resulted in casing failure and intermingling of upper and lower aquifers, violating ecology requirements. A costly lawsuit resulted, leaving the university with a damaged, non-complying, and unusable well. The indication at the time was that the well would likely have to be abandoned and replaced with a new one at a cost of over $1 million. After the lawsuit was settled, the university selected a design team comprising Varela & Associates and hydrogeologists Golder Associates to evaluate the situation and recommend a course of action.

How we helped
We went to work in an effective, collaborative effort with Golder and EWU facilities staff to thoroughly analyze both the knowns and the unknowns and to develop a strategy for detailed inspection and evaluation of the well. Based on careful analysis, a concept was developed to reconstruct and salvage the well. An innovative approach was successfully constructed to seal off the upper (Wannapum) aquifer and still result in a well that can accept pumping equipment with the needed capacity. Varela and Golder ultimately planned, designed, and managed a project solution to reconstruct this well and put it on line at a fraction of the cost the university would have incurred to replace it. Effective communication between consultant and EWU staff was critical to project success, as was a skilled contractor and the university’s effective decision-making under difficult circumstances. Varela was involved in:

• planning, coordinating, and analyzing specialized well testing and investigation
• designing a constructible method for well reconstruction that met multiple criteria
• developing an innovative pumping station concept based on the reconstructed well
• project planning, design, and construction management/inspection

What the university accomplished
We are proud to have contributed to the end result – a badly needed new and effective water supply for the campus at a lower cost than expected, including:

• reconstruction of a costly 840-ft. deep damaged and previously unusable well (basalt aquifer)
• new pumping equipment and system design, including auxiliary power
• elimination of the previously expected significant expenditure to replace the well

This well is on line, providing EWU with badly needed additional water supply and operating as designed.