BILL REQ. #:  H-1601.1 

Read first time 02/18/2003.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to residential use of ground water; and amending RCW 90.44.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 90.44.050 and 1987 c 109 s 108 are each amended to read as follows:
     After June 6, 1945, no withdrawal of public ground waters of the state shall be begun, nor shall any well or other works for such withdrawal be constructed, unless an application to appropriate such waters has been made to the department and a permit has been granted by it as herein provided: EXCEPT, HOWEVER, That any withdrawal of public ground waters for stock-watering purposes, or for the watering of a lawn or of a noncommercial garden not exceeding one-half acre in area, or for single or group domestic uses of not more than five residences in an amount not exceeding five thousand gallons a day, or for group domestic uses of more than five residences in an amount not exceeding one thousand gallons a day for each residence, or for an industrial purpose in an amount not exceeding five thousand gallons a day, is and shall be exempt from the provisions of this section, but, to the extent that it is regularly used beneficially, shall be entitled to a right equal to that established by a permit issued under the provisions of this chapter((: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That)). The department from time to time may require the person or agency making any such small withdrawal to furnish information as to the means for and the quantity of that withdrawal((: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That)). The department shall require that any well supplying group domestic uses of more than five residences under the exemption from permitting provided by this section be metered if such service is initiated after the effective date of this act.
     At the option of the party making withdrawals of ground waters of the state not exceeding five thousand gallons per day, applications under this section or declarations under RCW 90.44.090 may be filed and permits and certificates obtained in the same manner and under the same requirements as is in this chapter provided in the case of withdrawals in excess of five thousand gallons a day.