Two people filling water containers at Well Number 5

Well Number 5, also called 164th Street Artesian Well, is an artesian well in North Lynnwood, Washington at Swamp Creek. The well puts out between 10–50 US gallons (38–189 L; 8.3–41.6 imp gal) per minute.[lower-alpha 1]

It is one of ten artesian wells that originally supplied the Alderwood area in the 1950s.[4] The other nine were capped when the water district contracted with the city of Everett for its supply.[5] Well Number 5, originally drilled with a 12-inch (300 mm) pipe to 438 feet (134 m) and backfilled,[6] taps the Intercity Aquifer between 100–200 feet (30–61 m) below the surface.[7][3] In 1999, the well's "secret" location was revealed in connection with public planning related to unrelated city development, upsetting some people,[8][lower-alpha 2] and in the early 2000s, when the well's taps were moved c. 100 feet (30 m) from a wooded area beside Swamp Creek to a more visible structure alongside 164th Street, the upgraded accessibility again met resistance from some people.[10][11]

The water from the well is popular with people in the Puget Sound Area who prefer water without fluoridation or chlorination,[11] including raw water enthusiasts and beermakers.[3][4][12] It is regularly tested for microbes and contamination, and is "one of the rare raw water sources in the country that is also part of a public water district and is held to the same strict EPA and Department of Health standards as tap [water]".[13] As of 2016, the well had never failed a quality test in 60 years.[2] The water district that owns the well won American Water Works Association's national tapwater taste test in 2018.[14][15]

The well is established as part of the culture of Lynnwood.[16][17] It has been cited as a "welcome touch of the country" reminiscent of Lynnwood's previously rural character, now become a "bland city".[18]

Notes

  1. ↑ An official Washington State Department of Ecology document states a flow rate of 50 gallons per minute;[1] popular press often states 10 gallons per minute.[2][3]
  2. ↑ A Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist defended himself to his readers saying "Some readers "thought that I'd 'ruined a good thing'" by revealing Well Number 5's location in print, but "the 'secret' has been pretty much known for decades".[9]

References

Sources

  • Alderwood Water and Wastewater District wins Best of the Best Tap Water Taste Test (press release), American Water Works Association, June 13, 2018
  • Broom, Judith M. (1990). Lynnwood: The Land, the People, the City. ISBN 0897163559. OCLC 23292701.
  • Brooks, Diane (July 20, 2002). "Move to blow cover of artesian well ; Devotees upset over secluded water source's shift into public view". The Seattle Times. p. A1.
  • Brown, Andrea (April 23, 2018), "It's the water: Artesian well draws fans from miles around", Everett Herald, Everett, Washington
  • Cashman, Chris (June 24, 2021), Lynnwood well pumps out natural, clean water at no cost, Seattle: KING-TV, "Well No. 5" also known as "The 164th Street Artesian Well" attracts people from all over Washington looking to take home the cold, naturally purified water.
  • Fiege, Gale (April 19, 2014). "More than a mall town". Everett Herald. Everett, Washington.
  • Hahn, Jon (October 8, 1998). "A wellspring of loyalty for artesian water". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. D1.
  • Hahn, Jon (October 20, 1998). "Face it: A smile isn't always just a smile". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. E2.
  • Lobos, Ignacio (January 26, 1994). "Foes of transfer station spring forth – users of Alderwood-area artesian well upset that county revealed its location". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  • Molenaar, Dee (1961), Flowing artesian wells in Washington State (PDF), State of Washington Department of Conservation, Division of Water Resources, WSB 16
  • Podsada, Janice (February 13, 2002). "Gusher of red tape delays well's move". Everett Herald. Everett, Washington. p. B1.
  • Raymond, Vanessa (April 25, 2018), "What You Should Know About the "Raw Water" Trend", Right as Rain, UW Medicine
  • Rosoff, Henry (June 28, 2016), People line up for great tasting water, Seattle: KIRO-TV
  • Staff (February 1, 2016). "Happening nearby: Artesian wellness". Lynnwood Today. Lynnwood, Washington.
  • Staff (June 25, 2018). "Alderwood Water & Wastewater District wins Best of the Best Tap Water Taste Test". Lynnwood Today. Lynnwood, Washington.
  • Stockton, Paysha (October 28, 2001). "No downtown, but welcome touches of the country in suburban setting". The Seattle Times. p. E2.
  • Thompson, Connie (January 12, 2018). "What you should know before you jump on the "raw water" bandwagon". Seattle: KOMO-TV.

Further reading

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47°51′00″N 122°15′58″W / 47.8500°N 122.266°W / 47.8500; -122.266

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