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Resident requests public records after Ecology found industrial wastewater in Sunnyside sewer
Summary
A Sunnyside resident asked the council to collect public records about an alleged unauthorized discharge from a mushroom facility (identified by the speaker as Astrom's/Windmill) to the city's sewer system on Memorial Day weekend 2022 and to consider how a pending state discharge permit could affect the city's treatment systems.
A Sunnyside resident urged the City Council on May 12 to release public records and review a 2022 Department of Ecology inspection that she said found industrial wastewater had been discharged into the city sewer system.
“I'm here today to make a public records request on the unauthorized dumping in the city collection system on Memorial Day weekend 2022,” the speaker said, referencing an Ecology Central Regional Office Water Compliance Inspection Report dated June 8, 2022. The speaker identified the source of the wastewater in the report as a local mushroom facility formerly described as “Astrom’s,” which she said is now known as Windmill (also referenced as WIMO) and said facility staff met with Ecology during the unscheduled inspection.
The commenter asked the council to provide records related to that incident and to share documents that would help the public and the council evaluate whether a pending state waste discharge permit for Windmill would affect the city’s water systems. The speaker noted that public comment on the state permit was open through May 24 and urged the council to compile and release relevant municipal records.
Mayor Dean Burisma directed the speaker to the city clerk, saying the clerk would help with filing the records request and asked for a written copy of the request. City staff affirmed they would accept and process a formal public‑records request.
No formal action was taken by the council during public comment. The speaker cited specific facts from the Ecology report, including that Ecology met with facility representatives identified as the facility operations manager (Steven Seibert) and CEO (Travis Wood) during the June 8, 2022 inspection. The speaker asked the city to provide documents that show how a state permit allowing industrial wastewater discharge to a publicly owned treatment plant would be evaluated and whether the lagoon water at the facility is safe for discharge to the municipal system.
