City fined $8,000 for spill

The state Department of Ecology on Tuesday announced an $8,000 fine against the city of Spokane for an unauthorized discharge of sewage into the Spokane River in early July.

The spill was first noticed July 9 by a fisherman, who reported it July 11.

City crews quickly fixed the problem.

Marlene Feist, the city’s public affairs officer, said the city is willing to accept the fine, but may file an appeal to take advantage of a rule allowing some of an appealed fine to go into a fund for water quality projects in the area.

Estimates of the discharge ranged from a city figure of 53,000 gallons to a state figure of 36,000 gallons during the three-day event. No explanation was given for the disparity in the estimates.

City officials initially said they believed the spill occurred when a line near the river became partially plugged with debris, but the state’s investigation showed the cause may have been vandalism.

The sewage drained from an 8-inch sewer line into a 24-inch overflow pipe along the river. The larger pipe is designed to release water from the sewer system during heavy storms. Sewer crews rerouted the 8-inch line directly into a 54-inch sewer interceptor in Aubrey L. White Parkway.

“Fortunately, no harm to human health or the environment was reported,” Jim Bellatty, DOE’s water quality manager for Eastern Washington, said in a statement. “But the discharge occurred during hot summer days when the river is heavily used.”

Besides the penalty, DOE ordered the city to update its manual for combined sewer overflows, including a schedule for eliminating most of the remaining pipes carrying both storm water and sewage. The city also is required to work closely with the Spokane Regional Health District, river user groups, the media and DOE for prompt notification of overflows.

City officials have said they are improving the monitoring of sewage outflow pipes that were installed years ago when both storm and human wastewater went directly into the river.

Although most sanitary sewers are already separate from storm pipes, the city is now in the early stages of a $300 million program to eliminate 90 percent of the remaining pipes carrying both types of discharge. Local ratepayers will finance the program through monthly sewer bills.