WARDEN - Initial test results show improvement to Warden's well 5, but not enough to allow the city to use it for drinking water.

The well has been out of commission for several years after state Department of Health inspectors discovered high levels of ethylene dibromide (EDB,) City Administrator Mike Thompson said. Initial tests showed a level of 0.19 parts per billion, almost four times the allowed limit of .05 parts per billion.

The US Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of the fumigant in 1983 after tests showed it to be a carcinogen, and caused reproductive disorders in test animals, according to EPA records.

"We're trying to find a way to get rid of the EDB. We would like to keep that well," Thompson said. "We only have two wells right now. If one of those goes out, we're going to have to shut down the processors. We would like to keep (well 5) for a back well."

In an attempt to clean the well, the city placed an inflatable packer in the well to separate the contaminated higher aquifer from the uncontaminated lower aquifer and began pumping water out, Thompson said. He estimated the city has pumped about 85 million gallons out so far.

"This is one of the reasons that all the new wells have to be cased," he said. "So if there is contamination in one of the aquifers, you're not contaminating both of them."

A recent test result showed the level of EDB dropped to .101 parts per billion, still about two times the legal limit. The city is still pumping water out of the well with the help of a food processor. Thompson sent another sample for testing.

"What we're hoping for is that we can clear up what's below that packer and if that happens then what we can do is case that well all the way down and pressure grout it to seal it off," he said. "Then just pump out of that lower aquifer."

Mayor Roldan Capetillo asked during a recent city council meeting before they received the most recent results, when they would know whether the city would need to shut down the well.

"Hopefully, we'll know with this next sample or two whether it's dropping or not," Thompson said. "If it's not dropping it doesn't make sense to keep pumping the water out there."

The contamination is reportedly coming from a nearby piece of land owned by Simplot. Thompson said he received a call from an engineering firm hired by the company, which will be doing testing.

Councilmember Mike Leavitt asked if the state Department of Ecology (DOE) tested any other areas nearby for contamination.

"That's the only place that Ecology can find any EDB contamination was on the Simplot property," Thompson answered. "They drilled five test wells around that area - just west of Washington Potato, across the street from Washington Potato, out by our lagoons, Simplot's property, there was one other place."

The DOE has an order against the company requiring it to hire an engineering firm and test in the area, to see if they can find the source of the contamination, Thompson said.