Council Agrees To Work With Officials To Protect Wells

The Spokane City Council agreed Monday to work with county officials and other area water purveyors to protect the large wells drilled into the Spokane-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.

The agreement comes just days after the release of a $500,000 study that concluded Spokane’s ground water is “highly vulnerable to a variety of contamination threats.”

The yearlong study identified businesses located near the city’s eight major drinking water wells that could harm water quality. It also studied the characteristics of the aquifer, including its flow rate and direction.

The study is part of a two-phase project known as the Wellhead Protection Program.

Phase two includes a second round of public involvement aimed at finding ways to protect the area’s water supply. The project could lead to new zoning regulations that prevent some types of industries from locating over the aquifer.

Council members delayed until next week a decision on spending $98,000 on phase two, which includes notifying the more than 1,600 businesses about the risks their activities may pose to drinking water.

Spokane resident Mel Carter is working with Eastern Washington University on a summer leadership program for seventh- and eighth-grade students. Carter urged the council to let the students take part in the second phase.

Gale Olrich, interim director of planning services, said he would study ways to include the students in the project.

, DataTimes