A Spokane County commissioner said Commissioner French and Health Officer Velasquez have formed a PFAS task force and that the county hopes to use state capital funds to purchase water filters for families impacted by PFAS on the West Plains.

The commissioner described the task force as a collaborative effort between county leadership and the Spokane Regional Health District. “I’m hoping we’ll have a plan soon to use state capital funds to purchase filters for impacted families on the West Plains,” the commissioner said.

Why it matters: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are persistent chemicals that have drawn public-health attention when detected in drinking water. The transcript indicates the county and public-health officials intend to develop a plan to assist impacted households, but the remarks did not provide a timeline, an estimated budget, the number of affected households, or details about eligibility and distribution.

Details in the transcript: the task force was described as formed by Commissioner French and Health Officer Velasquez; the speaker expressed hope to use state capital funds for filters. No formal motion, vote, budget authorization or implementation schedule was recorded in the excerpt.

Next steps and unknowns: the remarks convey intent to develop a plan, but the transcript does not specify when the plan will be presented, how many families are affected, what filter models would be used, or what state capital program would supply the funds. Those items were not specified in the available remarks.