County staff recommend health-emergency declaration to speed PFAS water-filter installations on West Plains

County staff briefed the Spokane County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 4, 2025, recommending the board declare a local public‑health emergency for the West Plains to accelerate installation of drinking‑water filtration systems for properties contaminated with PFAS.

Staff told the board that Commerce and Ecology have awarded grant funding for installing point‑of‑entry treatment (POET) systems but that the funding window and technical complexity create significant schedule risk. Staff said nearly 259 homes are candidates for mitigation and that each property’s well and plumbing differs, which can require distinct system designs and installation approaches.

To shorten the procurement and learning curve, staff proposed issuing a request for qualifications (RFQ) to identify contractors with POET experience, running three to five pilot installations with different vendors and homes, testing baseline and post‑installation water samples, and selecting systems for broader deployment. Staff said that process would reduce the risk of installing ineffective systems systemwide.

Staff also told commissioners that state agencies have urged quick deployment and that a failure to spend awarded funds before mid‑2027 could put the grant at risk of being reallocated by the state. Staff said the grant rules limit administrative overhead, leaving little to fund county project management and that the county may need to subsidize project administration from other sources while installations are underway.

Staff described roles: the local health district would provide navigators for household outreach and enrollment, while a separate contractor panel would design and install filtration systems. A task force that includes county staff and community members has reviewed the approach and supports declaring an emergency to gain procurement flexibility and speed installations.

Commissioners asked about legal and practical consequences of an emergency declaration, including whether it could affect new well drilling or impose limits on other activities; staff said they would research statutory authorities and draft a resolution for the board’s consideration. Staff also said they will distribute Ecology’s forthcoming final report and that Dr. Pritchard’s initial presentation on PFAS had identified hot spots across the West Plains.

No formal action was taken on Nov. 4; staff said they would bring proposed language to the consent agenda once legal and procedural details are finalized.