ANALYSIS OF SSB 5505

House Agriculture & Ecology Committee                                               April 2, 1997

BACKGROUND:

Water System Planning.  State law directs the State Board of Health to adopt rules establishing requirements for public drinking water systems, including water system planning.  (RCW 43.20.050.)  The rules adopted by the Board require public water systems with 1000 services or more, systems experiencing problems, expanding systems, and new systems to submit water plans for review and approval by the Department of Health.  (WAC 246-290-100(2).)  For an area designated as a critical water supply service area, a water utility committee must develop a coordinated water system plan which provides for maximum integration and coordination of  public water system facilities in the area.  (RCW 70.116.050)  Plans for each of the systems within the area and the coordinated plan for the area must also be approved by the Department of Health.  (RCW 70.116.060 and WAC 246-290-100(2)(b).)

Corrdinated Approval by Ecology and Health.  Within the areas served by such a plan, the Department of Ecology and the Department of Health must coordinate approval procedures to ensure compliance and consistency with the approved water system plan.  (RCW 90.03.386.)

OFM Population Projections; GMA Planning.  At least once every 10 years, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) must prepare 20-year growth management planning population projections for counties planning under the state=s Growth Management Act (GMA).  (RCW 43.62.035.)  Each county planning under the GMA must designate urban growth areas within which urban growth is to be encouraged and outside of which growth can occur only if it is not urban in nature.  Based on the OFM growth management population projection made for the county, the urban growth areas in the county must include areas and densities sufficient to permit the urban growth that is projected to occur in the county for the succeeding 20-year period.  (RCW 36.70A.110(1)&(2).)

SUMMARY:

If requested, the director must provide assistance to a public water supply system seeking to obtain or develop an adequate and appropriate supply of water to meet forecasted population growth.  The supply being sought must be used in a manner consistent with applicable land use, watershed and water system plans, and the state population forecast for that area.  (Section 2(6).)  Assistance to growing communities can be accomplished through the creation of municipal interties and transfers, additional storage capabilities, enhanced conservation efforts, and added efficiency standards for using existing supplies  (Section 1.)

If an application for a water right is denied, the Director may provide such assistance to any applicant for a supply of water that is consistent with the land use permitted and the state population forecast for that area.  (Section 2(5).)