Old pipe link fails at Port of Whitman Business Air Center

A small water leak at the Port of Whitman Business Air Center (Colfax airport) was recently repaired after an older pipe at the airport had started to leak.

“We noticed water was seeping out,” said Port Executive Director Joe Poiré. “Trucks were driving over it, and even though it was three or four feet down, the seam broke on it. We noticed standing water on the ground.”

The repair was done approximately two weeks ago by Palouse River Rock at a cost of about $4,000, Poiré said.

He said the line dated back to an old well that was formerly on the site.

“There was a well that was probably put in 50 years ago that we decommissioned and put it out of the system about 20 years ago,” said Poiré. He noted older pipes were left in place at that time.

“It probably seemed like the thing to do at the time,” he commented.

The pipe that broke was approximately 10 feet long, and it was the only remaining segment of the old system.

“They had to dig it up and take the last of the old pipe out,” said Poiré. “They use soft poly line now, so we replaced the metal pipe with plastic pipe. Now the whole thing's the same.”