Fine incoming for Island Park Water Company, but investigation continues
ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has fined the Island Park Water company $434,000 dollars for failing to provide its customers with safe, reliable and adequate service.
While the fine represents a major step to correct the issues affecting some 20% of the residential areas, the boil order continues.
The communities of Goose Bay, Aspen Ridge, Valley View and Shotgun Cherokee are all under boil orders. The subdivisions of Shotgun Kickapoo and Shotgun North are under boil advisories.
"We're not going to lift the boil orders until this department deems the water is safe and reliable to all the customers," Department of Environmental Quality safe water analyst Kelsey Carter said.
At Thursday's Capital for a Day event in St. Anthony, Gov. Brad Little says an influx of people buying vacation homes in Island Park has overwhelmed local utilities.
"You build a community around a lake or wherever it might be, anticipating its density," Gov Little said. "And if those caverns are filled for 150 days a year instead of 80 days a year, all of a sudden your capacity. And so this problems are not going to go away."
Too many residents or not, safe water analysts Kelsey Carter says the boil order could have been avoided with regular repairs.
We'll remind you the system's well cap was repaired with duct tape. It was only fixed properly last month. This is only the tip of the iceberg for repairs the water system needs.
"In order for the boil water to be lifted, the source of the contamination would have to be identified first. And corrections made to prevent the contamination from entering the system again," Carter said.
The DEQ requires the water company to have the issues with the system corrected by June 30.
But according to Carter, the water company has not taken steps to identify the source of contamination or take corrective actions.
In addition, the Public Utilities Commission writes, "if these violations are not remedied the Commission will have no choice but to revoke Island Park’s CPCN(permit)."
