Ocean Shores Public Works staff reported ongoing testing this week after residents and staff described intermittent black slime appearing around faucet outlets after water sat unused. Staff said sampling and treatment testing are underway and that a vendor will test different chemical treatments to identify the right product and dosages.

City staff described a two-step process: sample collection and analysis, followed by on-site testing of chemical treatments. Public works staff said initial sampling had been performed at several homes and that staff increased chlorine levels after an earlier round of tests; the black slime did not reappear for several months, but the issue has returned. The city did not provide an estimate of how many households are affected and said the pattern appears intermittent: several speakers said the substance tends to appear after water sits unused for days to weeks and often disappears after running the tap.

The city said TerraPhase initially examined the issue and that the work has since been taken up by a different consultant (identified in the meeting as a CJA-line reviewer). Staff said next Tuesday a company will work with Public Works staff to test candidate chemicals, with follow-up work over the following month to determine appropriate dosages and costs. If the city moves forward with a supplier, public works typically issues a competitive bid for ongoing chemical purchases.

The committee emphasized they have not yet identified a single common cause for the deposits and that staff are continuing sampling and operational checks (pressure, stagnation in lines) to narrow possible sources. No public-health orders, treatment mandates, or formal changes to the water system were announced at the meeting; staff described the work as investigative and preparatory for a possible treatment program.