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An agreement signed Tuesday, April 5, 2011, between the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the city of Bridgeport sets aside a longtime water dispute and provides the city access to a reliable supply of drinking water now and into the near future.
Over the last several years the city has challenged Ecology’s interpretation of how much water it may draw on its existing water rights, which date to the 1950s. Wishing to avoid the time and cost of further litigation, the city and Ecology will instead tap into new water reserves being developed by Ecology’s Office of Columbia River.
To solve the city’s current water shortage and meet its water needs for the next 20 years, Ecology will collaborate with the city to finalize an existing application for new water rights. If Ecology processes the city’s application by Dec. 31, 2014, then the city will drop its lawsuit. If a decision isn’t made by then, the city may resume its lawsuit.
News Release
Ecology News Release (April
5, 2011) - Agreement paves way for new Bridgeport waterNews Story
Bridgeport, state reach truce in long-running water dispute, City will set
aside lawsuit for 3 years - April 7, 2011 By K.C. Mehaffey World staff
writer| Dan Haller Department of Ecology, CRO-WR Phone: 509 454-4255 E-mail: dhal461@ecy.wa.gov |
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
