Water district says it intends to sue over chemicals found in Edmonds schools stormwater system

The Olympic View Water and Sewer District intends to file a lawsuit against the Edmonds School District over PFAS contamination in the stormwater system at Madrona K-8 School. The district claims the school has failed to adequately address these chemicals, citing violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In response, the Edmonds School District maintains it is following guidelines set by the Washington Department of Ecology and has not shown any impact on groundwater or drinking water sources. Spokesperson Cutis Campbell noted that while some stormwater samples indicated elevated PFAS levels, no groundwater contamination has been detected. The district plans to remove the likely contamination source during summer remediation efforts after the school year concludes.

They are also working with a third-party consultant to conduct further environmental sampling, which has been approved by the DOE. Tensions have arisen over the jurisdiction of stormwater management, with the Edmonds School District asserting compliance with state regulations. The outcome of this dispute could affect future policies regarding environmental safety in local schools.