SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane passed its annual drinking water test, but two tests came back positive for PFAS within city limits.
The city found small amounts of PFAS in two of the seven wells in the city. One of the wells was Grace well, and the other was the one at Ray and 23rd, which services the South Hill.
The city said they didn't detect a lot of PFAS, but the amount at Ray and 23rd is just over the new federal limit.
The city detected 4.4 parts per trillion of PFAS at Ray and 23rd, which is about one drop in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
In April, the EPA made that standard stricter, dropping it to just four parts per trillion.
Although this is a small amount, it is still over the new federal limit, and it becomes a bigger issue in places like Airway Heights, where the PFAS tests came back with upwards of 1,500 parts per trillion.
The city said most people on the South Hill get water from a combination of three different wells, which means the water is even further diluted by the time it gets to a house.
The city said they have "implemented updated testing and are monitoring procedures for these contaminants." The City also joined a lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers and are supporting an investigation into the contamination.
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