City meets or exceeds all drinking water standards
Marlene Feist, Public Works, (509) 625-6505
Monday, June 3, 2019 at 9:26 a.m.
The City of Spokane today is releasing its required annual report on the quality of drinking water provided by the City’s Water Department. For 2018, as in previous years, the City met or exceeded all federal and state drinking water standards.
“The City is committed to providing safe, clean drinking water to our customers at an affordable price,” says Scott Simmons, the City’s Division Director for Public Works. “We also are continuing to focus on water conservation efforts, reducing leaks in our system, and providing information to citizens on how to make water-smart choices.”
The City’s Water Quality Report for 2018 is available on the City’s web site. Citizens may request a mailed copy by calling the Water Department at 625.7800 and providing a current address. Protecting the quality and quantity of our water resources is a strategic initiative in the joint Mayor-City Council Strategic Plan, which strives for a safer, smarter, and healthier community.
In addition to information on water quality and conservation, the annual Water Quality Report notes that in 2018 the City completed its program to remove all remaining lead service connections in its water system. Lead service lines were installed in the early to mid-1940s when World War II efforts made other materials scarce. Between May 2016 and July 2018, the Water Department replaced 486 lead service lines with copper pipes, helping to ensure public health.
As a result of this work and the assistance the City provided to Airway Heights when they faced a significant contamination issue in its water supply, the Department of Health recognized the City’s Water Department with a “Commitment to Excellence” award.
The Washington State Department of Health recognizes individual water systems and operators that do an outstanding job providing safe and reliable drinking water to their customers annually during Drinking Water Week, which occurs in May.
The City of Spokane operates the third largest water system in the state of Washington. Only Seattle and Tacoma have larger systems. Beneath our City streets is a network of water pipes that delivers water from the City’s wells to some 75,000 homes and businesses within the current water service area. The City maintains about 1,000 miles of water mains and smaller water lines.
