City of Spokane releases its 2024 report on drinking water quality

The city of Spokane met all state and federal drinking water standards last year, according to its required 2024 report on drinking water quality measuring levels of contaminants and “forever” chemicals in its source wells.

PFAS, also known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, refers to a group of human-made chemicals that has been used in consumer products since the 1950s. Think nonstick cookware, water-resistant fabrics, certain cleaning products or fire-fighting foam.

Exposure to high levels of these chemicals has been linked to detrimental health effects, including decreased fertility, developmental delays and a higher risk of some type of cancers, such as kidney and prostate cancer.

The components of these substances usually take hundreds or thousands of years to break down, and their widespread use has resulted in their prevalence everywhere – including in our drinking water.

Washington established state action levels in 2022 to address PFAS, providing thresholds for the amount of contamination drinking water can contain before specific state actions must take place. In April 2024, the EPA announced a new federal standard: a maximum containment level of 4 parts per trillion of PFAS.

Although the EPA requires water purveyors to meet this federal regulatory standard by 2027, the city has already updated its testing and monitoring procedures to account for the contaminants.

“We’re all kind of learning together,” public works communications manager Kirstin Davis said. “Some of the prior standards didn’t have as complicated and as detailed of testing as what’s available now.”

The city of Spokane detected low levels of PFAs in three well locations: Havana Well, Nevada Well and Ray Street Well.

During a test in February, the Ray Street Well measured slightly above the federal standard at 6.1 parts per trillion of PFOS, a specific type of PFA.

EPA rules, however, measure compliances based on a four-quarter rolling average of test results. Further testing of that well in June and October resulted in lower levels of PFAs detected, making the average just below the federal limit.

The report also analyzed other levels of inorganic chemicals and found traces of arsenic, barium, lead, copper, nitrate and radionuclides in the source wells, all below the federal limit.

This year’s Spokane City Water Quality report is accessible on the City’s water quality webpage.