WENATCHEE — A prank of pouring soap into a recirculating landscape waterfall turned out to be anything but good clean fun.

The $120,000 waterfall at the entrance to the Boulder Falls development at the corner of McKittrick Street and Western Avenue is now billowing billions of sudsy bubbles, thanks to the addition of a little soap. No one knows who is responsible.

But Jay Bollinger, contractor of the 19-home development, and Joe Anderson, builder of the water feature, aren’t smiling.

“It looks like a funny joke, but it’s a big job to clean it up,” said Bollinger. “We put it on the corner so the whole town could enjoy it, but this is just a slap in the face.”

Bollinger said it will take days for the suds to dissapate. Then, the water will have to be turned off and the entire water feature cleaned out. The soap destroyed beneficial bacteria that had been intentionally grown on the rocks to combat the growth of algae. “Otherwise, it all turns into a slimy mess,” Bollinger said.

Anderson, owner of Anderson Landscaping, said it takes six weeks to nurture the bacteria along to produce a protective coating on the rocks.

“It’s kind of frustrating. We have to empty the water and start all over again,” he said. The bacteria has to be nurtured along, he said, “like a baby in diapers.”

The building lot-size water feature was designed to look like a mountain stream racing down a steep, rocky incline. Anderson said 1.2 million pounds of rock were brought in to cover a plastic liner to create the effect. He said the falls uses a 15 horsepower pump to recycle 2,700 gallons of irrigation water through an 8-inch line at a rate of 70,000 gallons per hour.

Anderson said the cleanup may result in shutting the water feature down until next spring since it’s getting close to the end of the irrigation season.

Bollinger said he’s had his fill of pranks that end up costing him money and frustration. He also owns two lots next to an area off Skyline Drive known as Wenatchee’s favorite “make-out” spot that has also been a popular site for mischief resulting in property vandalism, he said. Last Thursday night, firefighters were called to the property to put out a fire before it spread to homes on the street below. Fire officials believe the fire may have been started by kids playing with fireworks.

Bollinger said he’s angry over the two incidents and other acts of vandalism on his property over the years and plans to go ask the Wenatchee City Council to order more police patrols in both areas.

“Everyone says ’kids will be kids,’ but kids should obey the law just like everyone else,” he said.