Airway Heights Residents Use Bottled Water as System Flushed

AIRWAY HEIGHTS (AP) — Millions of gallons of water have been flushed from the water system in Airway Heights and testing is set to begin in the next few days.

City leaders say they are planning to give the green light for residents to resume drinking tap water by next week.

Residents of the Spokane suburb were advised last week not to drink tap water following discovery of contaminants in two groundwater wells that are being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency as potential health hazards.

The contamination appears to come from chemicals used at nearby Fairchild Air Force Base. The chemicals were present in fire suppression foam used on the base for decades.

The two wells have been shut off as Airway Heights works to flush the system.