Group bubbles over with ideas for artesian wells

Part of city identity: Some of the wells could be incorporated into parks or public art, artesian-well enthusiasts say.

By Devin Smith, The Olympian

It's been a long time since artesian wells provided the water to Olympia's downtown.

While most of downtown has developed and is supplied with city water, some 90 artesian wells remain.

Many are capped, and some are diverted down storm drains. Two are in use at downtown restaurants.

But those remaining two are threatened because business owners are being forced by state Department of Health officials to make costly improvements to protect them from possible pollution.

A group of artesian-well enthusiasts has formed to find ways to preserve some of the wells downtown - possibly as small parks or works of art.

"There's a story here and that is that the artesian wells are being seen as an identity piece for the city," said Jim Ingersoll, a longtime supporter of artesian wells.

That identity piece is in danger of disappearing, he said.

The group, which doesn't have a formal name, is conducting research and preparing to ask the Olympia City Council to help establish some of the wells as parks or art, Ingersoll said.

"We're actually trying to save a natural resource that is being buried and hidden," Ingersoll said.

An artesian well is simply a well that is under enough natural pressure to allow it to flow freely. One of the city's most popular artesian wells is in the Diamond parking lot on Fourth Avenue, where many people go to bottle water.

The group has no final plans on how best to preserve the wells, but at least one property owner downtown has a well and a tiny spot of property he is interested in donating to, the cause.

Gary Schneider, who owns Sunrise Construction Inc., owns the State Avenue building that houses, Carras Cabinets. Inside the building is an artesian well that is diverted down a storm drain.

"I'd be very happy to see something done with it," Schneider said. "I'm a big fan of downtown, and I like public art." The group endorses the idea that the wells be preserved whenever possible.

For instance, there are two artesian wells on properly that will one day be part of Heritage Park. The group would like to see those wells incorporated into the park design, Ingersoll said.

Similarly, if the city builds a new library downtown, Ingersoll said he believes construction will unearth at least one well. If that happens, Ingersoll would like to sec that well incorporated into the library design.