Lead Contamination Found Around Water Tank It Apparently Came From Paint Sandblasted Off Tank On Five Mile Prairie

City officials have fenced off a 10.2-million-gallon water reservoir at the edge of Five Mile Prairie after discovering what they said is a “relatively high level” of lead contamination around the tank.

The lead apparently comes from lead-based paint that was sandblasted off the exterior of the tank when Schultz Painting Co. repainted it in 1988. It poses no threat to the water supply, officials said.

It is not clear what effect the lead may have had on children who have ridden their bicycles through the wooded tract at 2130 W. Woodside, on the side of Five Mile Bluff behind the Five Mile Shopping Center. But heavy exposure can cause neurological problems and stifle brain development in young children.

Mike LaScuola, a hazards adviser for the Spokane Regional Health District, said risks from riding bicycles through the area and inhaling dust are relatively low in comparison with the ingestion that occurs when toddlers chew on lead-based paint. He said he expects further testing to show the average lead level in soil around the reservoir to be much lower than 7,100 parts per million found earlier this month in tests of obviously contaminated areas.

That’s high enough to be classified “dangerous,” but LaScuola cautioned that the reading has little meaning until more tests show whether it is typical or just a “spike.” He said soil around the edges of houses with lead paint can average 400 to 600 ppm, but some isolated samples can be in the thousands of parts per million.

If the average level of lead around the reservoir isn’t lower, the eventual cleanup could be expensive because the waste would have to go to a hazardous-waste landfill.

Lloyd Brewer, city environmental programs manager, said he couldn’t estimate the potential cleanup cost until more tests are completed.

He said the affected area may be as much as two square blocks. The area was fenced off and marked with warning signs Thursday, and neighbors were contacted.

Brewer said the lead was discovered when a city employee spotted concentrations of black sandblasting grit and paint residue near the reservoir and expressed concern. The reservoir was built in 1955, and lead-based paint wasn’t banned until 1978.

In addition to the lead-based paint on the outside of the tank, Brewer said it is likely a lead-based primer paint was used on the interior. However, Brewer said the interior paint probably would have been covered with some kind of coating that didn’t contain lead.

He said city employees are looking for old records to find out what kind of coatings were used on the interior of the tank. Regardless, Brewer said he is confident no residue was left inside the tank when it was sandblasted and repainted in 1988.

The contractor, who couldn’t be located for comment, had explicit instructions about cleaning the inside of the tank before it was refilled, Brewer said.

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Mike LaScuola, a hazards adviser for the Spokane Regional Health District, said anyone with concerns about possible exposure to the lead should call him at (509) 324-1574.