Soap Lake water shows elevated - but not dangerous - PFOA
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months, 1 week AGO
Samples collected from Well No. 3 in the city of Soap Lake tested slightly above state action level for perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, a type of PFAS “forever chemical.” City officials say the water is still safe to drink, but for those concerned a charcoal-based water filter will remove additional PFAS in the water.
AP PHOTO/JOSHUA A. BICKEL
SOAP LAKE — A routine drinking water test in Soap Lake found levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a type of “forever chemical,” slightly above Washington state's action level, prompting public notice from city officials.
Samples collected July 10 from Well No. 3 detected PFOA at 11.8 parts per trillion, exceeding the state's action level of 10 parts per trillion, according to a notice released by the city Tuesday.
PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called forever chemicals, are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and can build up in the human body over time. Washington water systems are required to notify customers when levels exceed state action levels established by the Washington Dept. of Health.
City Public Works Director Eli Olson said the result was only marginally above the limit. He also explained the city has no control over if the containment makes it into the water source.
“The water is safe to drink,” Olson said. “We're just barely testing over their limit right now. The city cannot control how much PFOA is within our water. However, we will work with the Dept. of Health to ensure residents are informed as we work on next steps."
WDOH's notice states that no immediate action is required. However, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals and those mixing infant formula with tap water may consider using an alternative water source or a certified treatment system.
Olson said residents concerned about PFAS can reduce exposure through home filtration.
“For anybody that's concerned about it, they're able to remove it with a charcoal water filter,” Olson said.
City officials are also evaluating long-term solutions. Olson said discussions with the city's engineering firm indicate treatment at the source.
“We'd basically have to put a large charcoal-type filter on Well 3,” Olson said. “It could be in the millions of dollars to remove the PFOA at the water source.”
The city received the test results July 10 but waited until July 28 to issue its notice. Olson said the city remained within the state's 30-day notification requirement and delayed publication while seeking additional guidance from state officials.
“We had 30 days to post, and we were waiting for some more information from the state,” Olson said.
Among the options under consideration are blending water from multiple wells to lower concentrations or potentially returning an inactive well to service.
Olson also addressed criticism from residents who questioned why city staff did not go door-to-door to notify customers.
“The Dept. of Health does not require us to go door to door on a PFOA test over the limit,” he said.
According to Olson, notices were posted on the city's website Tuesday afternoon and distributed at City Hall, the post office, the library and local businesses.
Under Washington's PFAS monitoring program, the city must continue notifying customers quarterly if results remain above the state action level. Olson said the city will continue working with the WDOH on a long-term response.
PFOA has been linked in some studies to effects involving cholesterol, the liver, the thyroid and the immune system, as well as certain pregnancy-related health concerns, according to WDOH. Health officials note that research on PFAS is ongoing and that exceeding a state action level does not mean individuals will immediately experience health problems.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Bartrand leads assessor race in preliminary results
EPHRATA — Preliminary election results show Grant County Assessor Candidate Anson Bartrand leading over challenger Clayton Johnson, but both candidates say the race remains far from decided as thousands of ballots remain uncounted. As of the Nov. 3 count, Bartrand received 7,152 votes to Johnson's 5,195. However, Election Coordinator Rebecca Pettingill said Wednesday afternoon that election workers still had about 7,000 ballots in the office awaiting processing and estimated that roughly 15,000 ballots remain to be counted countywide before certification. “If we're going to be anywhere near where we were in 2022, which we're still on kind of track to be, we'll probably process another 15,000 ballots before the end of the election,” Pettingill said.
MLSD highlights STOPit app as tool for reporting safety concerns
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District officials are encouraging students, parents and community members to use the district's STOPit reporting platform to share concerns about school safety, bullying and student well-being. The renewed focus on the reporting system follows a recent community safety town hall, where district leaders discovered many attendees were unfamiliar with the tool, according to Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon. “We wanted people to know this system is available to our community and to the parents for a multitude of different issues,” Shannon said.
Downtown clock intersection combines 4-way stop, roundabout rules, police say
MOSES LAKE — Drivers traveling through downtown Moses Lake's clock intersection should first treat it as a four-way stop and then navigate around the clock as they would a roundabout, according to Moses Lake Police Department Capt. Adam Monroe. The intersection, centered around the city's iconic clock, has long generated questions from motorists. While many drivers travel to the right around the clock before reaching their destination, others attempt to make direct left turns through the intersection. Monroe said that is not the correct way to navigate the area. “You have to go around the clock tower to get to your destination,” Monroe said. “You can't just cut through traffic.”