Title
Water System Plan Update Project Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Utility Advisory Committee recommends receiving a briefing on the Water System Plan, the public and stakeholder outreach process and draft Water System Plan to the Washington State Department of Health.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on the Water System Plan, the public and stakeholder outreach process and draft Water System Plan to the Washington State Department of Health.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on the Water System Plan, the public and stakeholder outreach process and draft Water System Plan to the Washington State Department of Health.
Staff Contact:
Susan Clark, Engineering and Planning Supervisor, Public Works Drinking Water Utility, 360.753.8321
Presenter:
Susan Clark, Engineering and Planning Supervisor
Background and Analysis:
The mission of the Drinking Water Utility is to provide and protect healthy drinking water for our community. Periodically updating our water system plan helps ensure the utility continues to meet its mission as well as demonstrating to our regulator, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), that the Utility has the capacity to remain in compliance with relevant local, state and federal regulations.
Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-290-100) requires water utilities with 1,000 or more connections, or those that are expanding, to develop water systems plans every 6 to 10 years. Water system plans must include the following key information:
• A water demand forecast and a water source and storage assessment
• The identification of system deficiencies and a plan to address them, including a capital facilities plan
• A source water protection program
• A water use efficiency goal established in a public forum
• A financial plan, including the identification of revenues adequate to address projected expenses
• An Operations and Maintenance program
• Documentation of system infrastructure, including age
To conduct the update of the 2015-2020 Water System Plan (WSP), an internal cross-sectional WSP update team has been formed. Major accomplishments completed by the WSP update team include:
• Establishment of a project webpage and announcement of the project in the September/October 2020 Five Things Utility Insert
• Selection of consultant assistance (HDR Engineering, Inc. and FCS Group)
• Attendance at a pre-plan meeting with representatives of DOH at which the focus of the WSP update was confirmed
• Five Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) project briefings including a November 4, 2021 water use efficiency public forum
• Finalization of the source, storage and hydraulic capacity analysis
• Correspondence sent to property owners with actual or potential sources of contaminants located within the Utility’s Drinking Water Protection Areas (DWPA)
• WSP goals, objectives and strategies updated to exclude items no longer required and to include new climate change goals, objectives and strategies and new equity strategies
• Finalization of the Utility’s 6 and 20-year capital improvement and financial programs
No unexpected deficiencies have been identified as a result of the WSP update.
To ensure public and stakeholder involvement, Washington Administrative Code requires the following occur prior to WSP approval:
• Local land use authority “consistency review”
• Documentation that adjacent water utilities were provided the opportunity to review the draft WSP
• State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) review
• Water use efficiency goal setting public forum
• WSP public hearing and elected official approval
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known): None known at this time. Community outreach, particularly through the Utility Advisory Committee, has been a component of the water system planning process. The Utility Advisory Committee has had five project briefings and held a required public forum on the WSP’s draft water use efficiency goals on November 4, 2021. No community comments have been received as a result of UAC meetings.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing
2. Do not receive the briefing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Financial Impact:
None at this time. The Water System Plan Update includes a financial and rate analysis and a 6-year and 20-year capital improvement program.
Attachment:
WSP Executive Summary