Ecology Department makes it easier to get water-metering funds

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - October 17, 2002

02-193

Ecology Department makes it easier to get water-metering funds

OLYMPIA - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is making it easier for water users to get financial assistance to help cover the cost of complying with new water-measuring requirements.

The state legislature set aside about $3.4 million to help cover the cost of purchasing, installing and calibrating new water-measuring devices. Each water user is eligible for up to $50,000 in financial assistance. The department pays 50 to 85 percent of the costs, depending on the cost of a particular system.

So far, Ecology has received only 19 applications and approved about $52,000 for those applicants. Most of the requests have averaged about $1,600.

The water-measuring requirements are the result of a lawsuit by environmentalists. Last spring, Ecology began notifying water users in 16 "fish-critical" basins that they must begin tracking and reporting their water use, and they were told they had 90 days to apply for state funding.

Unfortunately, the orders came during the busiest time of year for many farmers and ranchers, said Ken Schuster, who oversees Ecology's water-measuring program. "When some folks recently re-read their orders and saw their application deadline had passed, they assumed they were out of luck. We want to assure them that it's not too late."

Schuster said Ecology wants more people to take advantage of the assistance program, so the application deadline has been extended through June 2003, the end of the state's current budget period. The funding may not be available in the next budget period.

Besides extending the application deadline, Ecology:

Increased how much it will contribute toward the least expensive water-measuring devices. The department will now cover 85 percent of the costs for water-measuring devices costing up to $5,000. Previously, 85 percent funding was available only for devices costing $2,000 or less.
Will pay the entire cost of purchasing data loggers and other electronic-transmitting devices for water users who use 200 cubic feet per second or less.
Will provide funding to water-users in the 16 fish-critical basins who have not received an order but who want to voluntarily measure their water use.
Will consider funding requests from water users operating outside a "non-fish-critical" basin.

More than 650 orders have been sent to farms, irrigation districts, municipalities and other top water users to measure and make periodic reports about their water use to Ecology.

The top water users operating in the following basins have been receiving water-measuring orders:

Western Washington: Cedar-Sammamish, Chambers-Clover, Duwamish-Green, Elwha-Dungeness, Nooksack, Puyallup-White, Quilcene-Snow, Snohomish

Eastern Washington: Lower Yakima, Methow, Middle Snake, Naches, Okanogan, Upper Yakima, Walla Walla, Wenatchee

Contact: Curt Hart, public information manager, 360-407-7139; pager, 360-971-9610

For more information about the orders and how to apply for a metering grant: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/measuring/measuringhome.html