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Department of Ecology News Release - October 7, 2004
04-186
OLYMPIA - The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) has approved a transfer of water rights to quench Quilcene's thirst with a safer supply of drinking water.
The transfer shifts water rights from the USDA Forest Service to Jefferson County Public Utilities District #1, which will provide the water to the town of Quilcene.
"This decision became a top priority for the Department of Ecology after the state Department of Health determined that Quilcene's current source of water was a potential health risk," said Tom Loranger, a manager in Ecology's water-resources program.
The Department of Health's drinking water program found that shallow wells currently serving Quilcene's businesses and residents have limited capacity and are vulnerable to contamination from leaking septic systems and underground gas and oil tanks.
In 1995, several private wells in the Quilcene area were found to be contaminated with benzene from an unknown source. Benzene is a common contaminant that comes from leaking gasoline tanks.
Following the water transfer, Quilcene-area well owners may choose to stop using their wells and instead get their water from the utility district, Loranger said. Also, the Forest Service water system will be managed by the utility district's professional water-system operators.
In the approval, Ecology transferred two water rights associated with one well, giving the utility the rights to an annual rate of 13 acre-feet. One acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons, or enough water to cover one acre one foot deep.
Ecology and the Forest Service both agreed the transfer made sense because the Quilcene ranger station and other Forest Service buildings currently use less water than in the past due to downsizing.
"We recognize that this is probably not enough water to meet Quilcene's long-range needs, but this transfer should give the utility district a starting place to build a solid water supply for the future," Loranger said.
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Contact: Sandy Howard, Department of Ecology, 360-407-6239
Leslie Thorpe, Department of Health, 360-236-3098
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
