The City of Roy will save approximately six months and $60,000 on its plan to mitigate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminants in its well water and restore quality drinking water to the town.
Skillings, the city’s engineering firm, and city officials met with the Washington state Department of Ecology (DOE) on Sept. 19 and learned that the water rights from Well No. 2 are “entirely supplemental” to the Well No. 1 water rights.
The firm’s plan, approved by the City Council in July, was to move water rights from the PFAS-affected well, Well No. 1, to a newly drilled well site and to design and construct an iron and manganese treatment plant at the Well No. 2 site as the latter well contains high levels of iron and manganese.
Skillings utility manager John Hnatishin said the supplemental water right is a non-additive water right, which means the amount of water available to existing water rights would not be increased. He added that this news allows the city to construct the well, or other means of withdrawal, at a new location in substitution for, or in addition to, those at the original location, or the city may change the manner or the place of use of the water. The city could also drill an additional well on the property of Well No. 2 in substitution of the existing Well No. 2 while maintaining the water rights from Well No. 1, which would be moved to emergency-only status. Well No. 2 and the proposed Well No. 3 could only be used one at a time; they cannot be used at the same time. With the current water right and certificate of withdrawal of 300 gallons per minute from either Well No. 2 or Well No. 3, the city can meet demands as outlined in the water system plan for system buildout and move Well No. 1 to an emergency-only status.
“By utilizing this method, the Skillings team has eliminated the need to apply for a water right change application with the Department of Ecology and, as a result, has estimated up to six months or more of water rights work efforts. This comes with cost saving and a reduction in schedule to drill a new well and take Well #1 to emergency only status,” Hnatishin said in a written update to the city. “This has rapidly accelerated the time to mitigate PFAS in the distribution system and return water to safer drinking water quality level.”
Hnatishin said the water will still remain high in iron and manganese in Well No. 2.
Skillings outlined the ongoing and future tasks to bring the city’s water to its desired quality and reliability.
In other council news, the city’s special meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25, was canceled due to a lack of quorum. Because of the cancellation, the council could not confirm two new planning commissioners, which are required for the state-mandated comprehensive plan update, a process that has been supported by a $50,000 grant. The commissioners are required to hold a public hearing before submitting the plan for City Council approval.
If the comprehensive plan is not completed, the city risks forfeiting the remaining grant funds. This would require the city to cover the costs out of pocket, putting additional financial strain on its budget.
Roy Mayor Kimber Ivy said the council also planned to reallocate American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for planning services, comprehensive plan, technological updates and legal services. Failure to reallocate the funds risks disruptions in planning services, technological setbacks and unmet legal needs.
Ivy said the city is also looking for immediate septic system repairs at its park as it has been experiencing issues due to root intrusion. Repairs would include cleaning, root removal and potentially replacing damaged portions of the septic system. The total estimated cost for the repair is $2,708.
