Snake River project hits unstable ground

The Port of Walla Walla's project to install a sewer pipe 40 feet under the Snake River has hit unstable ground.

The contractor, Apex Directional Drilling of Portland, has struggled to get the soil to stabilize enough in the first part of the project, officials said.

But Jim Kuntz, the port's executive director, said the contractor and port are continuing to work on ways to get the casing pipe correctly installed in the first couple hundred feet, which contains cobbles and loose gravel.

The line under the Snake River is a critical part of the port's project to bring city of Pasco sewer to the Burbank Business Park and the Columbia School District's three schools in Burbank.

The 120-acre business park allows commercial and light industrial zoning, meaning distributors could have warehouse operations with easy access to Highway 12.

Port officials hope offering sewer service will help spur economic development in the business park and Burbank area. Currently, the entire community of Burbank relies on septic systems to handle its waste.

Once the pipe casing is through the first couple hundred feet, Kuntz said the contractor will drill through basalt, which should be easier.

So far, port commissioners have approved spending $26,500 to install additional casing pipe, Kuntz said.

The additional cost is on top of the $1.3 million contract port officials signed with Apex, Kuntz said. But because of contingencies, the project remains within the overall budget of $2.1 million.

Kuntz said the port hopes to have the piping under the Snake River finished this spring.

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Snake River project hits unstable ground