HomeMy WebLinkAbout081025 email re_ Quilcene Park drinking water supplyALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
To: Jefferson County Board of Commissioners,
In response to the public water system in the county park in Quilcene I want to express my concern, observations over the past 50 years, and suggest an option not being considered.
I just learned this topic is to be discussed at the Board of County Commissioners meeting 8/11. I may not be addressing/understand the full scope of the problem and options, but I’m
very opposed to any solution that removes completely a public source of water for south county residents in need of such a source. It may sound like an easy solution to simply say it
is up to individual property owners to find their own water source and remove the park water for general public use (option 3), I do not think that is in keeping with the type of community
Jefferson county has always been. To cut off a historical water supply to people who dependent upon it is not caring for neighbors.
When I moved to Quilcene and worked as the first community center director in 1975, county park water was used then, as now, by people who did not have wells, or adequate wells, for
drinking water on their property, including myself for several years. My observations (working right next to the park) was the water was used mostly by people needing drinking water
and minimal use household water. The use then was significantly less than now, the increase due to the increased population in the area, lack of other options for water, new state regulations
and limits on well permits, changes to the water table due to drier summers (affecting people’s wells, especially older wells), etc. Our household still uses water from the park in
the summertime and we are aware of the increased number of people using it, also an increase in the amount of water some people are drawing.
Asking people to drive to Port Hadlock to get water is an unreasonable solution, I have always advocated for people in the Quilcene community to not be expected to get basic needs met
elsewhere because of being a small, rural community. Services need to be available in the community. I do not understand why the PUD is not interested in, nor required to provide the
same service to south county residents as they do in Port Hadlock.
There was talk of a metered system a number of years ago and though there was a lot of public outcry against it, it should be considered an option. If the issue is repairs needing to
be made and the cost of those repairs, plus ongoing maintenance, needs to come from somewhere, a metered system that allows people to draw a small amount of drinking water free of charge,
and pay for a larger amount of water, seems like a possible solution to be considered.
I support on going discussions with the PUD and more public input for those making these decisions so they may better understand the impact on residents. Recently my husband, while at
the park, talked with two elderly women filling gallon jugs for drinking water. Both mentioned they lived alone. Another younger woman with four children took her three youngest to
the park while the oldest child filled a tank on her truck with water. My husband can tell you many other stories of local residents who have inadequate water supply, or none at all,
where they live.
Thank you for your consideration.
Penney Hubbard