Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District No Longer Serving Private East Wenatchee Homes

The Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District (GWID) is scaling back their services for private East Wenatchee homes next year after assessing their budget.

Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District Manager Craig Gyselinck said they currently have 900 water users that are part of their Local Improvement Districts (LID). 

LIDs were set up by the Bureau of Reclamation in the 1960s, which enabled private developments to fund their own water infrastructure.

Gyselinck explained that his district is too short-staffed, having only six people available, nor do they have the budget to keep going into people’s backyards and fixing their irrigation lines.

He said they had to choose between discontinuing service in certain areas or raise their rates.

GWID charges a small fee to property owners to access their services. This change will decrease their rates from $300 to roughly $250 a year.

Gyselinck wants to reiterate that no one is getting their water shut off, and that the only change will be that landowners within LIDs will be responsible for maintaining their water lines.

GWID sent out letters to property owners within the effected LID a week prior to announcing these changes.

These changes will take into effect after Jan. 1, 2023.