SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — People living in the West Plains neighborhood struggling to secure clean drinking water made their voices heard at a city council meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Over 200 wells in the West Plains area are contaminated with PFAs, also known as ‘forever chemicals’ that are found in many materials like plastics, electronics and clothing.
For years, the West Plains neighborhood has tested positive for PFAs in its groundwater, prompting health concerns for residents.
Some in the area have had filters installed to make their wells safe again, but others are still relying on bottled water.
On October 1, neighbors attended the Spokane County City Council meeting to push for the county to provide a comprehensive plan on how to solve the contamination problem.
“Having your well poisoned is a very personal thing, and those details need to be guarded by the county,” said West Plains resident, Laura Ackerman.
The West Plains Water Coalition said Commissioner Al French has a plan to address the contamination, but many residents feel left in the dark about the details.
“Mr. French has a plan, but he’s not shared much of the details of that plan. And for frightened people worried about their children and their livestock, more details are better than less details,” said John Hancock, President of the West Plains Water Coalition.
Hancock said the coalition hopes to work alongside Commissioner French to create a plan that works for the community.
“The grant proposal that the county is working on is extensive, and it’s complicated because PFAs is new for everybody. The coalition thinks that we should all get together toward the solutions, to make sure it’s a unified plan that really is the best PFAs rescue plan,” said John Hancock, Presiden of the West Plains Water Coalition.
For now, West Plains residents have turned to each other for support and to make sure everyone has clean water to drink.
Resident Mary Ellen Gaffney-Brown has given clean water to her neighbors that don’t have any.
“My heart aches when we send them water. We send it to places that don’t have the infrastructure we have in Spokane County,” she said.
Even those who have clean water are still worried about the future.
A new mining project in the area is set to begin this fall.
Resident Bob Graham is worried more digging could cause even more PFAs to enter the water supply.
“The paleochannel that runs through this is 77 feet deep. Now that doesn’t add up. They’re going to dig 160 feet and the paleochannel is 7 feet deep,” said Graham.
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