The Gorge deals with sewage issues
Michael Bell fills his water container during the Sasquatch music festival held Memorial Day weekend at The Gorge Amphitheater. The state health department told Live Nation in a letter that grey water from handwashing and comfort stations is being mishandled.
EPHRATA - The Grant County Health Department said The Gorge Amphitheater is moving toward compliance as state health officials express concerns over sewage facilities for concert goers.
The venue missed at least two deadlines to remove unsanitary drains and install new pumps and flow meters for septic tanks, according to a letter sent from the Washington Department of Health to The Gorge Amphitheater General Manager Danny Wilde.
The letter follows a May 1, Notice of Violation letter sent to Wilde from the state health department.
The issues in that letter and an ongoing concern for health officials is how the facility disposes of "grey water" the excess water that comes from, in this case, hand washing stations and overall improvements to create a large-scale septic system. According to health officials, grey water is sewage and must be dealt with as such and they want venue owner Live Nation to install one-large scale septic system instead of what they have now, many small tanks.
"It is a serious health concern for us in that there are so many people that attend events there," state health engineer Richard Benson said. He said the state health department permits and inspects septic systems that process more than 3,500 gallons a day, which the venue has at least one of. The venue also has tanks that process less than 3,500 gallons a day, which the county health department approves and inspects.
Benson said the state health department is working with Live Nation to gain compliance and would not comment on when fines would be levied or the venue shut down if compliance is not reached.
Todd Phillips, of the Grant County Health Department, inspects some of the amphitheater's septic system and said the facility is behind on installing new flow meters as well.
He said the health department tries to obtain compliance before threatening fines or closing down the facility, but if facility owner Live Nation does not respond to their concerns, closing the facility is an option.
"This is a big deal for us," Phillips said, adding that the health of the concert goers may be at jeopardy if sewage is not disposed of properly. "They've missed some deadlines, but I think they're still moving forward with gaining compliance," he said.
Phillips said he was at The Gorge during this year's Sasquatch festival and said there were "some issues" with the septic system other than the ones addressed in the state department of health letter. He would not say what they were.
"Anytime you have an event like that, things are going to come up," he said.
Live Nation spokeswoman Jacqueline Peterson said the group is working with state health officials to gain compliance and has already spent more than half a million dollars in acquiring additional water rights and expanding water and sewer systems. She said the money has mostly been spent on employing local companies.
"This is a huge project, one that requires the acquisition of additional water, upgrading of water facilities and upgrading of sewer systems; all while working in concert with many government agencies," she stated.
Live Nation recently applied with the county planning department to expand The Gorge facility to include cabins, retail stores and more than 1,000 additional camping spaces.
Benson said the venue would need more permanent sewer facilities before the state health department would approve any expansion.