In partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance and other Waterkeeper organizations across 19 states, Spokane Riverkeeper collected samples at sites upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plant discharges and permitted biosolids application sites. The results show clear signs that biosolids—treated sewage sludge commonly used as fertilizer—are introducing high levels of PFAS into our environment.

Every June, families and allies take to the Spokane and Columbia Rivers to honor the salmon, carry tradition forward, and stand for justice. In this powerful reflection, Water Protector Katelyn Scott explores how environmental justice is deeply connected to Indigenous sovereignty, queer identity, and migrant rights—and why the river calls us to show up for all of it. From the falls to the protest line, the message is clear: the river connects us all.

One of the growing threats to our watershed is toxic pollution from PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”—and one of our best tools to fight further degradation is regulation. The Clean Water Act provides many powerful regulatory tools that can stop PFAS pollution at the source—before it ends up in our drinking water, on our dinner plates, or in the river where we swim and play.