Gorge Amphitheatre in hot water with state health regulators

The Gorge Amphitheatre is in hot water with the Washington State Department of Health for the way it handles its waste water, with officials warning it could be threatening public health and the environment.

Officials sent a letter this week to Live Nation, operators of the central Washington concert venue, warning the Gorge could face penalties or even an injunction to stop operating for failing to comply with state regulations. At the same time, Live Nation is seeking to expand the facility into a full-fledged resort.

The letter by Denise Lahmann, LOSS (large on-site sewage system) Program Supervisor for the DOH, says Live Nation missed a deadline to install required pumps to remove what’s called greywater from campground showers. And officials say tanks that collect water from the showers don’t meet state standards.

The water is considered sewage that poses a risk to public health and the environment. Lahmann tells Live Nation the untreated water from showers and hand washing stations is seeping into the ground through a system of drains, in violation of state regulations.

“Disease-causing human pathogens are present in greywater, as they are in sewage,” the letter says. “Discharging sewage to the land surface and below ground without treatment is contrary to modern human health codes.”

During weekend festivals like Sasquatch or Paradiso, thousands of people camp at the adjoining campground, while upwards of 25,000 attend shows.

Health Department engineer Richard Benson tells KIRO Radio the letter was just the latest in a series of notices to the Gorge.

“There’s a little frustration on our part. They’ve missed several deadlines, so I think we wanted to get their attention and hopefully we have.”

Benson says the venue has failed to properly monitor and report daily sewage flow during events for all on-site sewage systems as required, despite repeated requests from the DOH. He says Live Nation added over 800 campsites last summer without getting needed approval from the department. But he says regulators are confident Live Nation will ultimately comply. He just hopes it’s much sooner than they have responded previously.

“We really want to work with them and we don’t want to take draconian measures,” he says.

In a written statement, Live Nation officials say they are working closely with the DOH to comply, and are investing $1 million of their own to improve facilities at the rural site.

“We continue to work closely with DOH, as any business would, to get approval of upgrades. These upgrades will ensure a great safe and nicer environment for our fans. This is a huge project, one that requires the acquisition of additional water rights, upgrading of water facilities and upgrading of sewer systems; all while working in concert with many governmental agencies. At our own expense, we are investing more than $1 million in this project, and the majority of the services and work are being done by locals. As with any major project, there are issues which arise that need to be addressed and we will continue to do so. We are thankful the DOH is assisting us with this project and that they want it to be a successful project.

“Our fans have already started to see the benefits from the project during the Sasquatch Festival and we have received positive feedback. Now that we are at the goal line, we are excited to push on through to completion, which we hope to be in the very near future.”

While the DOH has issues with the Gorge’s handling of its greywater, Benson says there are no issues with restrooms and port-a-potties at the venue, with the waste transported and disposed of properly.

The letter is just the latest in a series of complaints against the Gorge in recent months. A state lawmaker recently proposed a $1 ticket fee to help nearby Quincy Valley Medical Center cover the cost of emergency services from concert weekends. Concert goers racked up more than $400,000 in unpaid bills last year. The emergency room treated more than 100 patients during last weekend’s Sasquatch Festival.

Last summer, one concert goer died and dozens of others were hospitalized during an electronic music festival, many as a result of drugs or alcohol. KIRO Radio’s Brandi Kruse reported earlier this week for nearly 15 years, fire officials have pleaded with the Grant County Board of Commissioners to do something before lives are lost at the Gorge, warning of a “major disaster” at the venue.

At the same time, the owners of The Gorge are considering a big expansion of the concert venue.

The Grant County Planning Department has received a request from Live Nation for major changes.

The Columbia Basin Herald reports that Live Nation applied this month to change its land use classification from Recreation Development to Master Planned Resort. The company wants to open a restaurant, cafe, cabins, outdoor cinema, grocery and camping stores, more stage space, additional RV spaces and more camping locations on the sprawling site.

If approved, the work would begin next year and add more than 1,000 camping sites.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.