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County seeks city support to renew aquifer‑protection fee; council asks for interlocal safeguards
Summary
Spokane County asked the City of Spokane Valley whether it will join a ballot measure to renew the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Protection Area (APA) fee, a $15 per‑household charge used for monitoring, education and water‑quality projects. Council asked staff to seek an interlocal agreement that ensures funds collected in the city are
Spokane County requested that the City of Spokane Valley indicate whether it will allow a county ballot measure to put an aquifer‑protection fee renewal before city voters in August 2025.
Background and purpose: The Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Protection Area (APA) program has operated under voter approval since 1985. The APA funds monitoring, public education, septic‑to‑sewer projects and stormwater retrofits aimed at protecting a sole‑source aquifer that supplies drinking water across a multi‑jurisdictional basin. The standard fee in the city is $15 per household per year; nonhousehold fees scale with meter size.
What county staff asked: County officials asked whether Spokane Valley would participate in a regional renewal and permit county staff to place the renewal on the August ballot. Council discussion focused on how county APA revenues would be used and whether the city should participate only if an interlocal agreement guarantees that funds raised from Spokane Valley residents are spent equitably within the city.
Staff briefing and council concerns: Public‑works and stormwater staff reviewed program outcomes from the prior two decades, including a septic‑tank conversion program, classroom outreach (the county reported more than 56,000 schoolchildren served since 2010, many from Spokane Valley) and ongoing monitoring of nitrate and chloride levels. Staff noted that average annual collections tied to Spokane Valley are roughly $700,000, of which the county has historically retained about $200,000 for program administration and returned roughly $500,000 to jurisdictions for local projects; revenues can vary year by year.
Council direction: Members asked staff to negotiate an interlocal agreement before committing to allow the matter on the ballot. Councilmembers said they want assurances that (1) county expenditures that affect the city will be planned with city input; (2) funds raised from Spokane Valley residents will be used equitably for projects that benefit Spokane Valley; and (3) the county will provide notice and consultation if program‑level changes would reduce the amount returned to the city.
Timeline: County staff told the council they intend to include the APA renewal on the Aug. 5 ballot and sought the city’s decision by April to complete election preparations. Council asked staff to continue negotiating the interlocal agreement and return with proposed language and the council’s requested protections prior to granting final authority to place the measure on the ballot.
