WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -63- 023-1289-003.3040
problems in drinking water and can stain laundry. Groundwater treatment and regular well
maintenance is needed to avoid these problems.
In response to this finding, members of the Planning Unit acknowledged that WDOH has expended
effort and funds within WRIA 62 to improve the quality of water supplied to communities in WRIA
62, but that community assistance continues to be a need in the watershed. As the result, the Planning
Unit recommended that the Implementing Body communicate with WDOH and that WDOH also take
the initiative to communicate with the Implementing Body to address this issue within Phase IV of
Watershed Planning. Purveyor education, identification of funding sources and technical assistance
as needed from WDOH are considered in the recommended Plan actions.
4.2.6 WQUAL-4b Background and Rationale
Problem Statement: There is a need to review wellhead protection plans throughout WRIA 62
and improve these plans as needed.
Within Section 3.9 of the Phase II, Level 2 Technical Assessment (Golder, 2005), it is noted that the
City of Newport, Town of Ione and Sunvale Acres 4 th Addition Water Systems have Wellhead
Protection Plans approved by WDOH. However, other Group A water systems do not have WDOH
approved wellhead protection plans, although they may have plans on file. Per WAC 246-290-135,
Group A water systems are required to develop and implement a Wellhead Protection Plan. Tables 4-
7 and 4-8 list Group A and Group B public water systems in WRIA 62, respectively.
Wellhead Protection Plans are typically approved by WDOH for a fee as part of WDOH’s planning
program, but may be approved outside of the planning process. Free technical assistance for small
systems is available for developing wellhead protection plans through Evergreen Rural Water
(http://www.erwow.org/). Kitty Weisman is the Source Water Protection Specialist for Evergreen
Rural Water and can be contacted at cweisman@erwow.org or at 1-800-272-5981. Kitty has
expressed an interest in working with the Implementing Body during Phase IV of Watershed
Planning. The Washington Environmental Training Center (WETRC) also provides technical
assistance and training (http://www.greenriver.edu/wetrc/index.htm). WETRC is a self-supported,
specialized, continuing education program that strives to protect public health, preserve
environmental quality and insure reliable management, operation and maintenance of environmental
systems by providing training. WETRC works closely with regulatory agencies such as WDOH,
Ecology, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, and the Environmental Protection
Agency to keep up with the latest developments in environmental safety and health regulations.
Additional information and technical assistance are also available from the Northeast Tri-County
Health District and WDOH.
Wellhead protection regulations are found in WAC 246-290-135, which states that water systems
shall develop and implement a wellhead protection plan and the plan should be part of the water
system plan (WSP) or small water system management program (SWSMP). The specific elements of
a wellhead protection plan are defined in WAC 246-290-135.
The Planning Unit discussed the need to have a coordinated program to ensure that all WRIA 62
water systems have developed and are implementing wellhead protection plans. The WDOH has a
Joint Plan of Operation (JPO) with the Northeast Tri-County Health District, which includes
completing sanitary surveys of Group A and B water systems in Pend Oreille County. Every year the
Northeast Tri-County Health District is given a number of Group A and B water systems in Pend
Oreille County by WA DOH to survey. By the end of 5 years (2007), the Northeast Tri-County
Health District will have rotated through all the Group A and B water systems in Pend Oreille
WRIA 62 WMP 032305