IRRIGATION

SANITARY SEWER

       The Lake Chelan Reclamation District began its organization in October 1919 and eventually acquired by deed the assets of it's private corporate predecessor the Lake Chelan Water Company. The District was adjudged organized on May 1, 1920 and embraced approximately 6,860 acres of which 4,359 were classified as irrigable. The assets included a 14-mile collection system from Big Grade Creek to Antilon Reservoir, a partially completed distribution system and a lower reservoir at Wapato Lake.

       The domestic water system was purchased by the District from J. R. Laycock in February 1922. The system served primarily the original town site of Manson. The lack of high quality groundwater in the area led the domestic service area to expand over the years to serve a significantly larger area. Major expansions were done in 1974 and 1982 to bring the service area up to it's present size. A water treatment plant was constructed in 1998.

       Sanitary sewers were first installed in the Manson area in 1946. Primary treatment and disinfection prior to discharge into Manson Bay was performed until 1975. In 1975 the Manson Chelan Sewer Interceptor was constructed and sewage was pumped to the wastewater treatment plant in the City of Chelan with the effluent discharged into the Columbia River. The Lake Chelan Reclamation District took over all sewage collection services in the Manson area in 1979 with responsibilities increased in 1994 when the District took over the Interceptor between Manson and Rocky Point. Lake Chelan Reclamation District is one of only two irrigation districts in the State of Washington that provides sanitary sewer services.

       Irrigation has remained the primary focus of the Lake Chelan Reclamation District over the years. The irrigation system was rebuilt in 1971 1975 with the help of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project was constructed to provide pressurized irrigation water to all the growers on the system. The District is the operating agent for the federally owned project. The system includes 73 miles of pipelines in the distribution system together with 10 miles of drains, 13 pumping plants and 13 reservoirs.