A break-in at a North Bend water tank caused a panic for customers of one small utility after authorities found strange white pellets near the vandalized tank.
According to the King County Sheriff's Office, the pellets were found to be harmless, but now there are questions about how the customers were notified.
On its website, the Sallal Water Association says the water tank supplies water to 82 customers in the Riverpoint neighborhood.
The sheriff's office believes someone broke in late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, cutting the locks and water monitors. After meeting with Sallal and the FBI, deputies determined the white pellets discovered around the tank were harmless.
"We believe the water pellets are actually biodegradable airsoft pellets," said Ryan Abbott, a King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
Alice Hanify and her family live in the affected area. They are abiding by the "no drink" order until the utility's water tests come back. But she wonders why their home and their neighbors weren't notified of the break-in until Wednesday evening.
Hanify said she received no calls or email about the break-in, just a flier arriving at their door Wednesday evening among trick or treaters.
"We have no information other than a flier that went out much later than it should have," said Hanify. "If that well was poison and we all drank it, and we get a letter hours later, it wouldn't have mattered."
"They're going to work on their [communications] plan, who they contact and when they contact them," said Abbott. "So, we can get the investigation going as soon as possible for something like this.
The damage to the tank is estimated to be about $5,000.
Sallal expects the water tests to be back in the next 48 hours and ask customers to hold off drinking the water until then.
Abbott said breaking into a utility is a major crime and could result in federal charges.
