Tumwater moves Lakeland Manor residents to city water after detection of concerning contaminants

Tumwater water-resources staff told the public works committee on June 18 that the city switched the Lakeland Manor neighborhood from its local well to the city’s water supply after monitoring detected two constituents at levels that raised compliance concerns.

The city has owned and operated the Lakeland Manor satellite water system since 2005. Staff said initial samples taken in 2023 did not find the constituents, but a January 2026 sample showed two constituents above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Resampling in mid/late May returned results reported in the meeting as "just below the MCL," but staff said that averaging the two samples could leave the two- sample average above the MCL. Because the neighborhood is tied to the city system via an intertie, staff disconnected the local well and switched residents to city-supplied, chlorinated water so the community would have compliant service without installing a localized treatment plant.

"All we really need to do is flip a switch and they get a new source of water," said the water-resources staff member who described the operational switch. The staff member said the city coordinated outreach with the Department of Health and met with residents earlier in the week to explain the change, note that the primary difference is that water will now be chlorinated, and discuss filtering options for residents who prefer additional treatment.

Staff said the Lakeland Manor system serves about 40 homes and is located between Black Lake and Belmore Road. The city characterized this as a relatively quick operational remedy compared with installing a dedicated treatment plant for a small satellite system.

Staff said the city is monitoring its system for multiple constituents (the transcript used the term "POS" when staff referred to the detected compounds; the technical identification of the detected constituents should be confirmed with staff or the Department of Health). The committee was told the city has had very low detections elsewhere and that the detected levels in the Lakeland Manor well triggered the decision to switch sources. Staff said they will continue to monitor water quality, coordinate with state agencies, and report updates to residents.

Next steps: continued monitoring, engagement with state agencies, and any follow-up communication and remediation steps as needed.