Citing potential water contamination, Department of Corrections issues recall for food manufactured at Airway Heights Corrections Center

The Washington Department of Corrections announced Thursday evening that it is voluntarily recalling food manufactured by the Airway Heights Corrections Center following reports of possible contamination in the Airway Heights water supply.

Test results earlier this week showed that two of the area’s wells contained elements of a potentially dangerous compound believed to be linked to fire retardent used for decades by the neighboring Fairchild Air Force Base. Residents have been advised not to drink or cook with tap water.

The correction center’s food production facility, which distributes to other correctional facilities and external customers, as well as providing food for the center’s own inmates, uses water from the Airway Heights supply, according to a memo sent by Jeremy Barclay, communications director at the DOC.

The recall comes out of “an abundance of caution and not in response to any specific threat of illness,” according to the memo.