FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5238

C 25 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning public water systems' public participation notice provisions.

Sponsors: Senators Angel, Liias, Honeyford, McCoy, Dammeier and Chase.

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Security

House Committee on Local Government

Background: Public Water Systems. More than 5.5 million Washington residents, roughly 85 percent of the population receive their drinking water from Group A or Group B public water systems. Group A water systems have 15 or more service connections, regularly serve 25 or more people 60 or more days per year, or serve 1000 or more people for two or more consecutive days. Group B water systems serve fewer than 15 connections and fewer than 25 people per day.

Some public water systems must submit a water system plan for review and approval by the Department of Health. These public water systems include the following:

• systems having 1000 or more service connections;

• systems required to develop water system plans under the Public Water System Coordination Act of 1977;

• new systems or expanding systems; and

• other specified systems.

The Growth Management Act (GMA). GMA is the comprehensive land use planning framework for counties and cities in Washington. Originally enacted in 1990 and 1991, GMA establishes land use designation and environmental protection requirements for all Washington counties and cities, and a significantly wider array of planning duties for the 28 counties and the cities within them that fully plan under GMA.

GMA requires counties and cities to establish a program that identifies procedures and schedules for the public to participate in the development and amendment of comprehensive plans and development regulations. The program must include notice procedures that are reasonably calculated to provide notice to property owners and other affected and interested individuals, tribes, government agencies, businesses, school districts, and organizations of proposed amendments to comprehensive plans and development regulations. The procedures should provide for broad dissemination of proposals and alternatives, an opportunity for written comments, public meetings after the effective notice, a provision for open discussion, communication programs, information services, and consideration of and response to public comments.

Summary: The list of persons and entities that public participation requirements of GMA must, through notice procedures, must also be reasonably calculated to provide notice of proposed amendments to comprehensive plans and development regulations is expanded to include Group A public water systems that are required to develop water system plans.

Votes on Final Passage: