HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 97-4659, by Representatives Reams, Cairnes, Dyer, B. Thomas, Backlund, Lambert, Cooke, Ballasiotes, D. Schmidt and Van Luven

     WHEREAS, A critical shortage of water exists for the future needs in the north central portion of King county roughly described as commencing at a point where the Snohomish/King county boundary intersects with the western boundary of the city of Bothell, thence southerly along the western boundary of the city of Bothell and continuing southerly along the eastern boundary of Lake Washington to the point where the Cedar river intersects with Lake Washington, thence easterly along the northern boundary of the Cedar river to its intersection with the western boundary of the Cascade foothills, thence northerly along the western boundary of the Cascade foothills to the Snohomish/King county boundary line, thence west along the Snohomish/King county boundary to the point where the western boundary of the city of Bothell intersects with the Snohomish/King county boundary; and

     WHEREAS, The city of Seattle is the primary wholesale source of water to a large number of separate municipal water purveyors who provide the direct retail delivery of water to customers in this area; and

     WHEREAS, The fundamental responsibility of the city of Seattle is to provide adequate water serving water users in the city of Seattle and not in this area; and

     WHEREAS, A single government institution does not have jurisdiction to adopt and implement a comprehensive water resources plan for this area, and the separate municipal water purveyors in this area have not entered into a voluntary agreement to develop and implement a water resources plan for the provision of water in this area;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives committee on government reform and land use and the committee on agriculture and ecology jointly study different governmental mechanisms to prepare and implement a comprehensive plan for the development of water resources, and delivery of water through trunk lines to various municipal water purveyors, in the north central portion of King county, that includes the possible adjustment of the boundaries of this portion of north central King county and the possibility of transferring the authority to prepare and implement such a plan to King county if a governmental mechanism fails to develop and implement such a plan within three years; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this study be completed, and any needed legislation prepared, prior to the 1998 legislative session.

                           --- END ---