Learn about the City's plans to improve the health of the Spokane River

New video available now online; also to be replayed on CityCable 5

Marlene Feist, Utilities Communications Manager, 509.625.6505


Friday, November 8, 2013 at 1:46 p.m.


The City of Spokane will spend about $350 million in the next few years on projects to improve the health of the Spokane River. City Utilities Division Director Rick Romero recently provided an overview of this work, and his talk now is available on the City's web site and is scheduled for replay on CityCable 5.

The talk is titled “The City's Integrated Plan and the Role of Green Solutions.” The City is developing an Integrated Clean Water Plan that will prioritize projects based on their positive environmental impact to the river. The goal is to create a plan that is both environmentally and financially responsible.

In particular, the plan will include work to improve treatment at the City's Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility and reduce the amount of stormwater and wastewater entering the River without treatment. Projects to reduce untreated discharges to the river from both separated storm sewers and combined sanitary and stormwater sewers are a big part of the effort. The work will include new green technologies for managing stormwater on site as well as more traditional “gray” storage tanks.

Overall, some 54 million gallons of combined wastewater and stormwater enters the river through 20 discharge points from our combined sewer system annually. Another 1 billion gallons of untreated stormwater enters the river through separated storm drains, primarily located on the North Side.

Romero's talk will be shown on CityCable 5 on:

  • Saturday, Nov. 9 – 6 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 14 – noon
  • Friday, Nov. 15 – 9 a.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 16 – 6 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 21 – noon
  • Friday, Nov. 22 – 9 a.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 23 – 6 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 28 – noon
  • Friday, Nov. 29 – 9 a.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 30 – 6 p.m.

The 35-minute video of Romero's talk can also be found on the CityCable 5 online archive. Select “Green Solutions: The City's Integrated Plan and the Role of Green Solutions.”

CityCable 5 is the City of Spokane's government-access cable station; it's found on channel 5 on the Comcast cable system in Spokane.