The Village of Haines Junction announced on May 16 that it has implemented water conservation measures to remain in effect for two weeks following the failure of the community’s primary water well pump.
Village officials are requesting residents and visitors to conserve water while the public works department works to resolve the issue over the next two weeks. According to policy and communications manager Aynslie Ogden, Haines Junction councillors have approved a budget of $150,000 to replace the primary well pump and service the secondary well pump.
The village is currently relying on a secondary well pump while officials work towards resolving the issue. According to the official announcement, the secondary pump does not deliver the same water capacity as the primary and although this has affected water availability within the municipality, officials assured residents that the safety of the drinking water remains uncompromised.
The pump, which is 15 years old, had failed on May 15 and while the exact cause is still unknown, officials suspect its age may be a contributing factor, Ogden said. A definitive cause won’t be possible until the pump is removed from the well and inspected, she added.
Village public works staff are working to restore the primary well pump to full operation within the next two weeks. However, according to Ogden, a full replacement of the pump may be necessary after councillors approved a budget to resolve the issue. In the meantime, officials are urging all residents to conserve water, as the village continues to rely on the secondary backup with limited capacity.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
