Title
Approval of Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lacey for Operation and Maintenance of Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve and authorize the Mayor to sign an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lacey to operate and maintain the Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the Interlocal Agreement with the City of Lacey to operate and maintain the Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility. The Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility is a joint construction project between the cities of Olympia and Lacey. The facility mitigates surface water impacts associated with the cities’ groundwater withdrawals. This agreement establishes roles and responsibilities, and the means for sharing facility operation and maintenance expenses.
Staff Contact:
Donna Buxton, Senior Program Specialist, Public Works Water Resources, 360.753.8793
Presenter(s):
N/A
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia and the City of Lacey established the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Lacey and the City of Olympia for Water Rights Mitigation (October 2008) for the purpose of developing a shared water rights mitigation strategy. Both cities have water rights to withdraw groundwater for drinking water purposes. Because the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) requires the Cities to mitigate these withdrawals, the cities submitted a shared mitigation strategy to Ecology in December 2010.
When Ecology approved Olympia’s and Lacey’s water rights, the shared mitigation strategy was also approved. Under the strategy, the cities built a groundwater recharge facility in Lacey’s Woodland Park. Reclaimed water is piped from the LOTT Clean Water Alliance Martin Way Reclaimed Water Plant to the groundwater recharge facility in Woodland Park. The groundwater recharge facility then infiltrates the reclaimed water to build up the groundwater table which supplements the Woodland Creek surface water level.
This Interlocal Agreement establishes the cities’ joint ownership, cost sharing, roles and responsibilities, and other elements associated with operating and maintaining the groundwater recharge facility. The facility is jointly owned and operated by the cities. The percent of ownership was determined by the cities’ relative surface water mitigation needs based on their different groundwater withdrawal rates. Olympia owns 21.7% of the facility, while Lacey owns 78.3%. Because Lacey is the majority owner and the facility is located in Lacey city limits, Lacey is the lead agency to ensure all operation and maintenance requirements are met. Both cities share the costs.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
None
Options:
• Approve the Interlocal Agreement. The necessary conditions associated with operation and maintenance of the Woodland Creek Groundwater Recharge Facility will be established.
• Decline or modify the Agreement to better meet City of Olympia needs. Staff will need to renegotiate the terms and conditions of the agreement.
Financial Impact:
Total maintenance cost is estimated to be $32,700 annually. As per the agreement, Olympia will be responsible for paying Lacey 21.7% of this cost or approximately $7,096 annually. This project is identified in the Drinking Water System Plan and is funded through the Drinking Water Capital Facility Plan.
Attachment:
Interlocal Agreement