The Water Under Walla Walla

Many well-informed old-timers of this city do not hesitate to say that Hydraulic Engineer Otto Weile of Spokane is mistaken in his hastily formed opinion that the subterranean flow of water in this valley would not suffice at all seasons of the year to supply this growing city with water. For example, it is pointed out that the well at the penitentiary, 55 feet deep and 20 feet in diameter, has a constant flow of 500 gallons a minute, or 720,000 gallons in twenty-four hours, and that this flow has been maintained for ten years without diminution. Half a dozen such wells operated by the air-lift compressor system would supply this city with all the water it needs. Such wells might be sunk on the Thomas ranch, thus giving strong pressure and saving to the city its right to the subterranean water on that ranch of about 280 acres.

Every sensible man who will stop to think a moment will see that it would be in the interest of the owners of this ranch to have the city abandon its right to the water lying beneath the surface of the land. This right, for which ten thousand dollars was paid by the Walla Walla Water Company, does not help the sale of the land. If the city of its own free will should abandon this valuable right it would add several thousand dollars to the value of the land.

The Statesman finds that the people of this city are not enthusiastic over the proposition of taking the city's water supply directly from Mill creek. To adopt this plan would mean not only that the drinking water supplied to consumers would be less pure and cold than the spring water now being used, but it would involve the city in law suits with riparian owners from the head of the creek to the mouth of the Walla Walla river that would cost in the end more than the first cost of the system itself. This difficulty could not be removed by an act of the legislature. Constitutional vested rights of riparian owners cannot be taken away even by the legislature. The city of Whatcom secured from the legislature a special act to enable it to take water from the outlet of Lake Whatcom, but in spite of that act the supreme court of the state in 1900 granted, on petition of certain mill owners and riparian proprietors, a perpetual injunction restraining the city from using this water. The city's only recourse was through condemnation proceedings, the cost of which was greater in the end than that of the mains and reservoirs.

Ten years ago William Kiersted of Kansas City, Mo., a hydraulic engineer of national reputation, made an exhaustive investigation of the sources of water supply for this city and in a report to the city council on June 5th, 1893, he unhesitatingly declared that an abundant supply for a gravity system could be developed from the springs a few miles up Mill creek. He gave especial attention to the springs on the Green Rime place, the city having secured an option on the same, and he reported that from this source a water supply of three million gallons a day might be secured. A good price was paid for this report of Engineer Kiersted and there is no reason why it is not even more valuable today than the report of Otto Weile, a hydraulic engineer comparatively unknown.

At the next meeting of the council it would be well for the members to review carefully the report of Engineer Kiersted, whose investigation of the water problem involved something more than a bird's eye view of the Mill creek landscape taken from a comfortable seat in a carriage.

Engineer Weile could see with half an eye that there is plenty of water in Mill creek to supply the city with water for all time to come. It did not require any great engineering ability to discover that fact. He says that this supply is worth one million dollars to this city. Perhaps it would be if the city owned it, but unfortunately the riparian owners have the first dip at this water supply and the city can get only what they choose to give it. Owners of irrigation rights in this country are not noted for their generosity in surrendering their claims for the good of municipalities.

Ex-Mayor Betz, who has given more careful study to the water problem than any other man in the city, does not hesitate to condemn the Mill creek project of Engineer Weile as one that would cost the city an enormous sum and involve it in endless litigation. If this plan is adopted by the council, he will not hesitate to vote and work against it.