Kirstin Davis, Communications Manager, 509.625.7773
Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 2:14 p.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 2020, 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 Marlene Feist, the City’s Director of 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-wise choices. This work is especially important considering the drought conditions in our area.”
The City’s Water Quality Report for 2020 is available on the City’s web site. Citizens may request a mailed copy by calling the Water Department at 625-7800 and providing an address.
In addition to basic information about water quality, the annual Water Quality Report also provides information on efforts to reduce water use, particularly during the peak irrigation season in the summer. The City is encouraging citizens and businesses to voluntarily adopt an every other day, “odd/even” watering schedule to help protect water resources, maintain affordable water rates, support landscaping health, and reduce the need for costly water system expansions over time.
The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a drought advisory for much of the state, including the Spokane area, making wise water choices even more important. To assist customers with water-saving efforts, the City has a variety of rebates available for water-efficient equipment upgrades and a turf replacement program called SpokaneScape.
The report also highlights the City’s updated hydrant permit program that is designed to enhance hydrant security, ensure use of necessary equipment to protect the City’s water supply, and appropriately account for water used. The City has 7,500 fire hydrants in its water system.
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 more than 1,000 miles of water mains and smaller water lines.
The City of Spokane operates the third largest water system in the state of Washington. Only Seattle and Tacoma have larger systems.
