Medical Lake water tests OK

Medical Lake’s water is safe to drink.

That’s according to City Administrator Doug Ross, who informed City Council at its May 16 meeting that their wells tested as non-detect levels of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and/or Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination.

In a May 18 interview, Ross said staff sampled two of its wells out of precaution because of the PFOA and PFOS contamination in private wells near Fairchild Air Force Base’s and in the city of Airway Heights.

Ross said as soon as he got off the phone with a property owner whose well was contaminated, he had staff test and send samples from the city’s Craig Road well to Anatek Labs, which conducts the city’s wastewater testing. Air Force engineers also tested the Craig Road well.

The city will also test its well on Lehn Road as a precautionary measure. Ross said he hasn’t heard of contamination of wells west of Fairchild, so he doesn’t anticipate positive results from the Lehn Road well.

One factor that may have contributed to the non-detect result might be a casing constructed on city’s wells that prevents chemicals from leaking into the water.

In other business, council gave approval for Mayor John Higgins to send a letter to the Community Block Development Grant program saying Medical Lake will remain on the consortium. According to its website, the program allocates an estimated $1.9 million in federal funds per year to sub-recipients throughout Spokane County to conduct activities that improve the lives and living conditions of low and moderate income residents.

The city has been a member of the program’s consortium, which is comprised of 10 other municipalities in the county, since 1988. In recent years, it has helped fund Medical Lake’s outreach program and the SNAP Emergency Housing repairs.

Council will vote on an interlocal agreement to officially remain on the consortium at its June 20 meeting.

In Public Works matters, Councilman John Paikuli announced the city completed the condemnation process of two properties on Stanley Street with the owners having 30 days to appeal it. Homes on both properties were lost to structure fires.

During public comment, Ted Olson asked the city to lower the speed limit on Graham Road to from 30 miles per hour to 20-25.

Paul Delaney contributed to the reporting of this story.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].