Pierce County Water Utility
Chambers Creek Properties
The Chambers Creek Properties (CCP) was purchased for the future expansion of the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Included in the purchase were surface and ground water rights. The Water Utility is currently working on water utility infrastructure projects to provide water to the CCP and investigating opportunities to provide wholesale water to retail providers within Pierce County.
Tacoma Narrows Airport Group A Water System
Pierce County is in the process of negotiating a purchase of the Tacoma Narrows Airport (TNA) property from the City of Tacoma. This airport facility includes a Group A Water System. Pierce County will own and operate this system, once the TNA property purchase transaction is completed, which is expected to occur in January 2009.
Coordinated Water System Plan (CWSP)
The Public Water System Coordination Act of 1977, RCW 70.116 established procedures for designation of Critical Water Supply Service Areas (CWSSA) and a process for water purveyors to coordinate planning and establish water service areas, in conjunction with other water purveyors and local governments, within designated CWSSAs. WAC 246-293 provides further clarification of the State law. In 1983, all of Pierce County was declared a CWSSA through the adoption of Ordinance No. 83-9 and Ordinance No. 83-152. The first Pierce County Coordinated Water System Plan (CWSP) was established in 1988 and the current CWSP was adopted in 2001 through Ordinance No. 2003-69.
Water Utility Coordinating Committee (WUCC)
WAC 246-293-150 directs Pierce County to establish a Water Utility Coordinating Committee (WUCC) within thirty days following the declaration of a critical water supply service area. Code states composition of the WUCC shall consist of one representative from each of the following:
- County legislative authority within the declared area;
- County planning agency having jurisdiction within the declared area;
- Health agency having jurisdiction within the declared area under RCW Chapters 43.20, 70.05, 70.08 and;
- Water purveyors with over fifty service connections within the declared area.
The Pierce County WUCC, was originally created by the Pierce County Council through Resolution R83-130 to develop a Coordinated Water System Plan (CWSP) for Pierce County. The WUCC membership was updated and re-established through Resolution 2008-84 on June 24, 2008.
The WUCC conducts periodic reviews of the CWSP to determine if any updates are necessary and whether implementation of the plan policies is being achieved as anticipated. Any recommended revisions to the CWSP are forwarded to the Washington State Department of Health and the County Executive and County Council for review and adoption.
Comprehensive Water System Planning The Public Water System Coordination Act requires each purveyor within the external boundaries of a CWSSA to develop a water system plan for their service area. The boundaries of the service area must be established in accordance with provisions of RCW 70.116.070. The Washington State Department of Health is primarily responsible for water system plan approval; however, prior to that approval there are a number of plan review functions that are within the purview of local government. In Pierce County, the Public Works & Utilities Department has been tasked to ensure consistency of water system documents with local growth management plans and development policies and provisions of the CWSP.
Water System Document Review Fees
On November 25, 2008, the Pierce County Public Works & Utilities Department was authorized, through the adoption of Ordinance No. 2008-85, to charge a fee for review of water system documents. This new fee will become effective starting on January 1, 2009. The County's costs incurred throughout the duration of the review and approval process will be based on time, equipment and material utilized for:
- Reviewing the water system document;
- Meeting with water system owners or their consultant?s, including travel time;
- Legal services;
- Amending the County?s Geographic Information System (GIS) to alter water service area boundaries;
- All other technical and administrative services provided relative to the review and approval of the water system document; and
- Administrative processing expenses related to advertising, public hearing; rental of meeting rooms, and travel.
The review fees are outlined in the Water Utility Fee Schedule. At the time of submittal, each document shall include a Time and Materials Information Form and payment of a non-refundable fee. The non-refundable fee shall be credited against the final County costs. Any additional costs incurred by the County for time and expenses over and above the minimum non-refundable fee amount will be charged to the water system owner on a time and materials basis. Once the total County costs exceed the amount of the non-refundable fee, the water system owner must pay the additional fees within 30 days following billing by the County and prior to the County granting final approval of the water system document. Any required additional requested information shall be submitted together with a Resubmittal Data Form.
Watershed Management Plans
In 1998 the Watershed Management Act was enacted to provide a framework for locally-based watershed planning with the goal of giving local interests a voice and a forum pertaining to water resource issues. The Nisqually Watershed Management Plan was completed in October, 2003 with implementation currently underway. Efforts have also been undertaken in the Chambers Clover Creek Watershed and Kitsap Watershed aimed at identification and quantification of ground and surface water resources.
