Airway Heights plans water plant
Facility aims to replenish aquifer, save money
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Airway Heights has plans to begin building a $42 million water reclamation plant by March in a bid to reuse waste water, recharge the community’s aquifer and save money.
Most of the funding for the plant will come from public grants and loans, but sewer fees have been rising to help pay for the project.
Once the plant is operational, the city will get to keep its own recycled wastewater to help defray community sewage and water costs in the next 20 years, said city manager Albert Tripp. The plant will also recycle about half a million gallons of water a day into the West Plains aquifer, which has been declining.
The purified water won’t be suitable for drinking but could be used for irrigation, commercial or industrial use and for wetlands. For example, people could water their lawns with this water, or Fairchild Air Force base personnel could use it to wash down a runway.
The plant will be north of McFarlane Road and south of 21st Avenue, totaling about 75 acres.
The city began considering the reclamation plant after learning that sewage prices would increase when Spokane upgrades the Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility, where Airway Heights’ waste is currently treated.
Studies showed it was cheaper in the long run for Airway Heights to buy its own reclamation plant instead of relying on the Spokane plant as its service prices mounted.
After being processed at the Spokane plant, treated water flows into the Spokane River.
“Every drop we send down the drain here in Airway Heights and Fairchild (Air Force Base) eventually runs down into the river,” Tripp said. “It’s a continual loss. You never see a return.”
After the Department of Ecology issued tighter regulations on how much phosphorus the Spokane facility could emit into the river, Spokane officials decided to upgrade some of their filtering equipment.
Plant officials said Airway Heights contributes a small flow into their system, so it won’t be a blow if they lose the city’s service.
“It’s probably going to help to a certain extent but we’re prepared to take them if they change their mind or their plant doesn’t end up being feasible,” said Tim Pelton, the Riverside Park facility administrative superintendent.