Local News
KWSO News 6/7/19
Jun
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is coordinating with Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies to plan and execute the repair of the broken 14 inch water main in the Shitike Creek. The boil water order and water outages will continue until after the fix. Notice will be given when the work will begin.
Water will be shut off in the west Campus area through today, impacting campus tribal buildings and residences from Paiute Street west to Teachers Row. This includes the Youth Center, Boys & Girls Club, Culture & Heritage, Child Protective Services, Behavioral Health Center, Family Resource Center, Warm Springs Community Action and Presbyterian Church.
Water outages will continue until the water main is repaired. Public Utilities staff is working to alternate the refilling of the Agency Area’s three reservoirs “Greeley Heights”, “West Hills” and “South East” – to lessen the impact.
Please conserve water, as this will help to help maintain reservoir levels.
There are showers set up at the Old Warm Springs Elementary School for folks who need to use them. The showers are open 6am – 9pm.
When a total water outage occurs affected residents should turn their water heater. Any time water is not running for more than 24 hours, it is best to turn off electric water heaters at the circuit breaker box and by throwing the breaker marked “water heater” to the “off” position. This keeps the element from burning out or overheating due to lack of water.
Because of the water main break there is a boil water order in effect for the Warm Springs Agency Water System. That means you should boil water for drinking or cooking, washing dishes, brushing teeth & making ice OR else use bottled water. This is affecting everyone in Greeley Heights, Elliot Heights, Trailer Courts, Senior Housing, Tenino Apartments, Tenino Valley, West Hills, Campus Area, Miller Heights, Upper Dry Creek, Sunnyside, Wolfe Point and Kah-nee-ta.
Drinking water distribution is taking place at the Old Elementary School Library. There is bottled water and you can also bring your own containers to fill up.
Volunteers are needed to help with water distribution – if you are able to help – check in at the old Warm Springs Elementary School Library.
Warm Springs Early Childhood Education will be closed through July 6th and is expected to re-open on Monday, July 8th. The closure is due to both the boil water order in addition to issues with the kitchen.
The JOM Committee, made up of parent volunteers, will hold an informational meeting on June 13th at 5:30 at the Culture & Heritage building. The committee supports Native American students in Head Start through 12th grade in the 509-J and Wasco County School Districts. They plan to hold elections for new committee members in July. Please attend the meeting to learn more.
D.A.R.E or Drug Abuse Resistance Education – is the world’s leading prevention program. D.A.R.E. Officers receive an 80 hour training course conducted by highly skilled mentors with many years of experience in the classroom, as well as university level educators. The State of Oregon provided training to 22 officers in January 2019. Warm Springs K-8 Academy School Resource Officer Kevin O’Brien was among those who participated. This spring, Officer O’Brien ran a pilot D.A.R.E. class for 5th grade students, as part of the K8’s 21st Century Afterschool Program. Those students will be recognized at an assembly in the school commons today at 2:20pm. The Warm Springs Police Department and the 509J School District are committed to continuing D.A.R.E. programming and working toward educating youth on problem solving and decision making techniques that help them to make good choices and to stay safe.
