City highlights ASR pilot success, plans next phase and Geosyntech contract

Engineer Patrick Fry described progress on the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) program using Canyon Springs and the South Well Field as a seasonal storage strategy.

Fry said the city ran a pilot this spring, “we actually put in about 2,000,000 gallons into the ground this spring through a pilot study and then pulled out 4,000,000 gallons,” and the next steps are completing a reservoir permit, closing the surface‑water‑right application for 3 cubic feet per second (filed in 2019), and resolving regulatory items with Ecology. He told council staff are wrapping up a pilot‑study analysis and proposed a new professional services agreement with Geosyntech to finish permitting, complete a 30% design for the Canyon Springs slope/ASR interface, and provide Ecology support; the contract was described as approximately $394,000 as part of a $1.548M project total.

Council repeatedly pushed administration to attach full contract terms to agenda items and to include performance terms when appropriate; the administration withdrew the initial Geosyntech contract presentation and pledged to return with the contract attached and clarified terms. The council separately approved a related Canyon Springs slope stabilization PSA later in the meeting for 30% design work and to move toward construction next summer.

What’s next: staff will return with the complete Geosyntech contract and the detailed scope and terms; council asked for more explicit performance measures and contract attachments before signing further work.