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City outlines interim clean‑water plan for properties near airport; county funds point‑of‑entry systems
Summary
City and county staff described an Ecology‑requested interim action plan to provide immediate clean water access (fill station and point‑of‑use filters), to expand testing of private wells, and to install longer‑term point‑of‑entry systems funded by a $7.5 million state allocation targeted for completion by June 30, 2027.
City staff presented an emergency interim action work plan addressing contamination near Spokane International Airport and described next steps for testing, immediate access, and longer‑term treatment.
Staff said the plan provides immediate access to clean water using a fill station at Garden Springs and distribution of point‑of‑use filters and food‑grade containers for residents and businesses. "We are not requiring a positive test for us to get access to clean water," a city speaker said, stressing that access will not be conditioned on a confirmed positive sample.
The city and county will coordinate testing of private wells in the defined area and hire navigators through the health district and the county to do in‑person outreach. Staff said they will map existing tests, independently verify results where needed, and hold open‑house events where residents can collect water and register for accounts to use the fill station; users must sign up (via 311) and receive a PIN to access the station so usage can be tracked.
Spokane County has received $7.5 million from the state to begin installing point‑of‑entry (POE) treatment systems, and staff said installations are slated to be completed by June 30, 2027. City staff described efforts to coordinate messaging so residents see consistent information on city, county and airport web pages and social channels.
Next steps: finalize the plan with Ecology (staff expect initial comments in about a week), expand capacity to run the program, deploy navigators for in‑person outreach, and schedule public open houses for the fill station. Staff said they will publish details and a sign‑up process once Ecology approves the plan.
