Drilling continues in WW, closed streets reopening
By Dan Thesman on Thursday, October 19th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
News release from city of Walla Walla
WALLA WALLA – On Wednesday, Western States Drilling drilled and placed two 25-foot monitoring wells — one at the southwest corner of the 2nd Avenue/Rose Street intersection, and one at the northeast corner of the 3rd Avenue/Rose intersection.
With drilling operations in the right-of-way complete, Rose was reopened to traffic, as was 2nd Avenue between Rose and Main Street. The only remaining closed section of 2nd — between Rose and Sumach Street — is expected to reopen today.
Clean Harbors resumed pumping material out of the 106 building and the catch basin along the west wall of the Marcus Whitman Hotel.
Clean Harbors has prepared its equipment in the parking lot of the 106 building to begin filtration of the recovered material. The discharge of filtered water to the municipal wastewater treatment system, which was paused to move the equipment, is expected to resume today.
Ventilation continues to mitigate volatile organic compounds from the affected buildings.
The smell of gasoline was observed near the monitoring well at 3rd and Rose, and was found to be coming from the storm drain at that location. The drain was washed and vacuumed and is being monitored for further evidence of contamination. Department of Ecology and Clean Harbors staff observing and testing Mill Creek have reported no sheen or rise in VOCs in or around the waterway.
This update is based on information provided by Washington Department of Ecology and Walla Walla Fire Department. City staff will continue to provide these updates on the City website (https://www.wallawallawa.gov/gasoline) as we receive additional details.
Photo shows a crew drilling a monitoring well near 3rd and Rose on Oct. 18. 2023.
