The City of Roy and its engineering firm, Skillings, have begun to take the necessary steps to address its water quality issues after approving the use of more than $600,000 in grants last month.
The firm is also helping Roy build a crosswalk across state Route 507 using grant funds and is working to submit its plans, including the specifications and cost estimate, for the project to the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Skillings already presented its conceptual design to WSDOT in June and received feedback on July 8.
During the Monday, Aug. 12, Roy City Council meeting, Mayor Kimber Ivy said that feedback from WSDOT on the plans for the project may take some time once it is completed and submitted.
Skillings is also working with the city on addressing its water quality issues.
On July 9, the City of Roy and Skillings met with Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland and gave a presentation on water quality issues facing Roy. They presented guidance and information on upcoming grants and components to representatives of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. Roy and Skillings officials also met with Rep. Andrew Barkis on July 29 to present the city’s water quality concerns. Ivy said Barkis shared his support and requested a meeting in September at the Well #2 property to discuss improvements. He asked his office to remain in the loop as the project progresses so he can support the City of Roy in the next legislative session.
Skillings’ plan to address the water quality issues involves fixing the shallower of Roy’s two wells, referred to as Well #1, which was found in a February test to be contaminated with per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) above the state action level. The deeper well also had high levels of iron and manganese.
The firm plans to use $242,500 in grant funds from the Department of Commerce and $300,000 from the state Legislature, as well as $77,869 in federal funding left over from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to help pay for a newly drilled well at the site of Well #2 to establish a well field. Skillings will also coordinate with the Department of Ecology to move water rights from Well #1 to the newly drilled well at the site of Well #2 and design and construct an iron and manganese treatment plant at the Well #2 site.
Lastly, Skillings submitted the scope amendment for the $242,000 Commerce grant and is in the process of finalizing reimbursement on behalf of the city. Once reimbursable status is achieved with Commerce, Skillings and Robinson Noble, an environmental consultant, will begin work.
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