Workers pouring cement at the Blue Lake dam in June, 2014 (KCAW photo/Rachel Waldholz)
Sitka, pour yourself a glass of water –tap water. As of Wednesday (11-5-14), we are officially drinking once again from Blue Lake.
The city announced that as of 9:15 a.m. on Nov. 5, the Public Works Department had shut down the Indian River water treatment plant. Sitka is now being served only Blue Lake water.
But, depending on where you live, you might still be drinking Indian River water for a little bit longer. The city says it will take a few days for the Blue Lake water to cycle through the full distribution system.
Sitka had been using Indian River as its drinking water source since this summer, while work at the Blue Lake dam interrupted access to the city’s main reservoir.
Also Wednesday, the city finished testing the turbines at the Blue Lake power house. That brought Sitka one step closer to the final completion of the Blue Lake hydro project.
In an email to the Sitka Assembly, Electric Utility Director Chris Brewton wrote, “We still have plenty of work remaining…but the risky parts are in the rear view mirror. Full speed ahead.”
