Title
Approval of Groundwater Monitoring Well Agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the Monitoring Well Agreement and authorize the City Manager to sign it.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve a Monitoring Well Agreement between the City and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for a groundwater protection monitoring well installed by the City in WSDOT right-of-way.
Staff Contact:
Donna Buxton, Public Works Water Resources, Groundwater Protection Senior Program Specialist, 360.753.8793
Andy Haub, Public Works Water Resources Director, 360.570.3795
Presenter(s):
None
Background and Analysis:
Staff with the Drinking Water Utility monitor groundwater quality and water levels in the City's drinking water (wellhead) protection areas. State regulations require the city to monitor drinking water sources and to establish protection areas. The Utility is proactively expanding the network of monitoring wells within selected protection areas. We are doing this to learn about any groundwater contamination that may be migrating toward the source wells. This will help the City address any contamination issues before they impact the drinking water supply.
To be most effective, monitoring wells must be strategically placed. Installing monitoring wells at ideal locations can be challenging because property owners do not always give the City permission to place a monitoring well on private property. Therefore, City staff find locations, such as City or State-owned right-of-ways, to install monitoring wells.
This Monitoring Well Agreement is for a well that was installed in WSDOT right-of-way in our Allison Springs Drinking Water Protection Area. The well was installed in December 2011 with WSDOT permission and Utility knowledge of terms and agreements, including an annual rental...
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