Drafter
Clerk 03/11/2005
Title
A MOTION requesting the King County executive initiate a regional water supply plan for King County by convening a planning committee by April 29, 2005, and by June 30, 2005, proposing a scope, schedule and budget for updating the existing coordinated water system plans and developing a regional water supply plan consistent with the provisions of the King County Comprehensive Plan; notifying appropriate federal, state, local and tribal governments and agencies of King County's intent to proceed with such planning; and for recommending interlocal agreements necessary to accomplish these purposes.
Body
WHEREAS, King County, along with other local governments within the county, has authority under the Growth Management Act, chapter 36.70A RCW, to plan for adequate public facilities and services associated with population and economic growth, and to protect ground water quantity and quality in the rural areas of the county, and
WHEREAS, King County has responsibility for water utility and water supply planning under the Public Water System Coordination Act of 1977, chapter 70.116 RCW, for critical water supply service areas in the county, and is the receiver of last resort for failing public water systems in the county, and
WHEREAS, ratified coordinated water system plans for the four critical water supply service areas in King County should be reviewed and updated to: achieve consistency and compliance with state law, including the 2003 Municipal Water Law, and local comprehensive plans; incorporate updated water supply planning documents, including those developed under the Watershed Planning Act, chapter 90.82 RCW; ensure the delivery of safe and reliable water in order to accommodate regional growth; assess the feasibility of long-term sources of supply and necessary infrastructure; integrate the use of reclaimed water when appropriate for non-potable applications; and develop strategies for addressing long-term viability and capacity of water systems in King County, and
WHEREAS, the Legislature has directed, in RCW 90.46.120, that uses of reclaimed water shall be considered in the development of any regional plan or plans addressing water supply service by multiple water purveyors, and that the planning process include the owner of any wastewater treatment facility proposing such a use of reclaimed water as a participant, and
WHEREAS, draft watershed conservation plans developed by all local governments in King County identify inadequate instream flows to be a limiting factor in some areas for the recovery of salmonids listed as threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, and recognize that assuring sufficient long-term water supplies and associated habitat to achieve recovery is necessary for successful implementation of those plans, and
WHEREAS, policies F-233 through F-235 in the 2004 King County Comprehensive Plan support development of a regional water supply plan that prioritizes future water supplies and is prepared in cooperation with water utilities and federally-recognized tribal, local and state governments, and
WHEREAS, policies F-238 through F-242 in the 2004 King County Comprehensive Plan state that King County's water reuse program and projects should be coordinated with a regional water supply plan and that water conservation should be aggressively pursued in partnership with utilities, and
WHEREAS, current snowpack and prospective water supply conditions for this year, and predicted long-term changes in hydrology due to global warming and climate change, warrant prompt initiation of a water supply planning process to address potential problems with water supplies and flows for fish and wildlife, and
WHEREAS, recent efforts to develop countywide or broader regional water supply plans and management programs, such as the Central Puget Sound Water Suppliers' Forum "Outlook" and the governor's Central Puget Sound Initiative, have produced a useful base of information and technical products, but no long-range comprehensive water resource or water supply plans, and
WHEREAS, the Cascade Water Alliance requested King County initiate development of a regional water supply plan and agreed, in a February 8, 2005, memorandum of understanding with King County, to support initiation of a planning process to update existing coordinated water supply plans, consistent with state Department of Health requirements and King County's objectives for a countywide water supply plan, and development of similar agreements between King County and other local governments is currently being pursued;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The King County executive is hereby requested to pursue such interlocal agreements for the purpose of preparing a regional water resource and supply plan for King County as are necessary to implement this motion.
B. In accordance with the Public Water System Coordination Act of 1977, chapter 70.116 RCW, the executive is hereby requested and authorized to establish, by April 29, 2005, a planning committee with regional partners to update with current information the preliminary assessments originally developed in support of the existing coordinated water supply plans in King County and to develop a recommended scope, schedule and budget for a countywide plan that revises and updates the existing plans through a process that consistent with the provisions of the Public Water System Coordination Act of 1977 and the policies for a regional water supply plan embodied in Policies F-233 through F-235 in the 2004 King County Comprehensive Plan.
C. Subsequent to the receipt of the recommendations of the planning committee, the executive is hereby requested to prepare and submit to the King County council by June 30, 2005, a scope, schedule and budget proposal associated with preparation of a regional water supply plan with state Environmental Policy Act compliance for King County, with a target completion date of December 31, 2007.
D. The executive is hereby authorized to notify the Governor's office, the state Legislature, the state Departments of Health and Ecology, local governments within King County, and such other federal, state and local agencies as may have an interest in participating in the process, of the approval of this motion and the planning activities that are authorized, and to solicit their support and participation.
E. The executive is also requested to solicit and encourage the support and participation by federally recognized tribal governments in the planning process, consistent with principles of tribal sovereignty and tribal rights under federal law, and the
participation by such other groups as have an interest in the planning process and its objectives.