Spokane County commissioners send renewal, boundary expansion of Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie aquifer protection area to August ballot; West Plains PFAS and

Spokane County commissioners voted unanimously April 22 to ask voters whether to renew and slightly redraw the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Aquifer Protection Area and to add the City of Spokane to the district.

The measure, presented by county water‑resources staff as a renewal rather than a new levy, would keep the current per‑parcel fee structure and send a resolution to the county auditor for placement on the August 2025 ballot. Staff said the program currently collects about $1.5 million a year and that including the City of Spokane would add an estimated $1.8 million annually under the existing fee schedule.

Why it matters: The SVRP Aquifer Protection Area funds monitoring, education, planning and limited capital work tied to groundwater protection. County staff and commissioners said continuing the program preserves four decades of monitoring and outreach and would give voters a chance to decide whether to continue those activities for another 20 years.

County presentation and staff estimates Ben Bridal, a Spokane County water‑resources presenter, outlined the timeline for the renewal and the need to deliver documents to the auditor by May 2 to make the August ballot. Kyle Tuig, senior director of public works, told the board the APA fee has not changed in about 40 years and that the program has consistently funded monitoring and education.

Tuig said the renewal keeps the current parcel fee (a single‑family residence that uses county water and an on‑site wastewater system would be charged $30 a year under the retained structure), and that revenues are distributed to participating municipalities and the county for water‑related activities. "That fee has been unchanged in 40 years," Tuig said, describing the program as "well managed."

Staff recommended removing six outlying precincts from the SVRP boundary and adding the City of Spokane. The staff proposal excludes the West Plains from the SVRP renewal, but staff and commissioners described a parallel effort to pursue a separate West Plains APA, likely on the November ballot, if the municipalities there opt in by resolution.

Public testimony: PFAS on the West Plains Multiple West Plains residents urged the board to include the West Plains on an APA ballot or to create a separate West Plains APA to address PFAS contamination in private wells.

Julia McHugh, a West Plains resident and frequent speaker to the board, said state testing found PFAS above the maximum contaminant level in more than half of tested wells in the area: "57% of the wells that were tested by EPA and ecology last summer, 50% of those are contaminated with PFAS above the maximum contaminant level," McHugh said. She told commissioners that many West Plains households rely on sole‑source domestic wells and that remediation and testing costs are high.

Crystal Bingham, another West Plains resident, described paying roughly $10,000 to buy an in‑home filtration system and still waiting for installation: "Do you know what it's like to not be able to drink your water safely... We spent $10,000 to buy a home system, and we're still waiting to get it installed," Bingham said.

Several other residents asked the county to include the West Plains on the APA ballot or to proceed with a separate West Plains measure. One speaker noted the airport and Fairchild Air Force Base as PFAS sources and urged the county to pursue remedies and include the West Plains voters.

Commissioner remarks and proposed task force Commissioner French provided a detailed statement describing his efforts to secure a new water source for the West Plains and saying that, "To date, there still is no technology to remove PFAS from an aquifer," so his approach focuses on bringing a new source of clean water. He said intergovernmental agreements and legal work would be required and that the county’s inability to secure legal services previously slowed his effort.

Commissioner Waldorf and Commissioner Jordan explicitly supported placing the SVRP renewal on the ballot and said they would also back a West Plains APA if the cities and jurisdictions there reach agreement. Waldorf urged formation of a county‑level task force or roundtable involving the Spokane Regional Health District and other stakeholders to coordinate responses, saying it could be "part of a coordinated strategy with multiple actions going on."

What the APA funds can be used for Staff and commissioners said APA funds are flexible within the water protection mission: planning, stormwater, sanitary sewer, drinking water projects, monitoring, enforcement and education. Tuig emphasized the value of the SVRP program’s monitoring network and school outreach, which he said reaches thousands of students.

Next steps and timing County staff must file documents with the auditor by May 2 for an August ballot placement. Staff said municipalities must opt in by passing resolutions; several cities have already agreed to participate and Spokane Valley is still considering participation. Because of election office timelines and municipal decision processes, county staff and some commissioners said a West Plains APA most likely would be placed on the November ballot if the West Plains municipalities opt in.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve consent agenda items 3, 4, 5 and 6 (including subitems): passed unanimously (5‑0). - Motion to approve public hearing item 7a — renewal and boundary expansion of the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Protection Area as presented by staff: passed unanimously (5‑0).

Clarifying details extracted from the hearing - Current per‑parcel fee structure: $15 per year for water users; an additional $15 per year for on‑site wastewater disposal so a single‑family parcel using both would pay $30 per year (staff description). - Current APA revenue: about $1,500,000 per year (staff estimate). - Estimated additional revenue if City of Spokane joins: about $1,800,000 per year (staff estimate). - Estimated annual revenue from a proposed West Plains APA under the existing fee structure: about $409,000 per year (staff estimate). - West Plains households referenced by staff and speakers: staff cited roughly 18,000–19,000 households as part of a West Plains boundary conversation; public speakers cited roughly 4,000 private wells in the Palisades/West Plains area (public comment). - Public testing cited by speakers: state and EPA testing results (as reported by speakers) found about 57% of tested wells in some samples above the PFAS maximum contaminant level (public comment). - Personal costs reported by a resident for a home filtration system: approximately $10,000–$12,000 (public comment).

Ending note Commissioners directed staff to proceed with the renewal submittal for the SVRP APA and to continue outreach with West Plains municipalities about a separate APA and a possible task force. The ballot placement and any new West Plains boundary will depend on municipal opt‑ins and the auditor’s filing deadlines.