SPOKANE, Wash. — The city of Spokane and Spokane County are working toward getting clean water for homes in the West Plains affected by PFAS, but hundreds of households impacted by the so-called “forever chemicals” could be stuck going to a water filling station until next year.
Some people living on the West Plains may have to travel miles just to get clean water from the filling station on Garden Springs Road. Meanwhile, they’ll be waiting for the county to install a whole-home filter to make sure their water is safe.
PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, were first discovered around Spokane in 2017 due to the use of firefighting foam at Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane International Airport. Recently, the Department of Ecology stepped in and gave the city of Spokane and Spokane County strict deadlines to provide people living near the airport with clean water.
“Making the city’s Garden Springs filling station available to folks and we’re also going to provide containers,” said Kyle Twohig, senior director of public works for Spokane County. “Another component of this too is not putting a bunch more plastic out into the environment and creating a more sustainable path towards clean drinking water.”
The county says it has $7.5 million to use for installing whole-home filters for those with PFAS-infected water. It will temporarily provide smaller filters that can be used for one sink or tap, but residents won’t be able to use their dishwasher, do laundry or shower with that type of filter.
The county hopes to have those whole-home filters installed by the end of June 2027.
But there are still people with contaminated wells that aren’t included in the Department of Ecology’s map, like Jim Hendricks.
“Now down the line, for years down the road, they are supposed to be installing full house filters, but I doubt I’ll see that in my lifetime,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks has spent $10,000 out of pocket to install his own whole-home filter. He says it will cost another $3,000 every 10 months to maintain and says he has several neighbors who won’t be able to afford that on their own.
Hendricks says the West Plains Water Coalition and a scientist from Eastern Washington University are advocating for his neighborhood’s water to be addressed. He says anyone in his position, who has already installed a filter in their home, should be reimbursed.
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