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Home My WebLink About20250508_CWDACmeetingnotes 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 www.JeffersonCountyPublicHealth.org Always working for a safer and healthier community Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) Jefferson County Clean Water District Advisory Council Meeting Notes Thursday, May 8, 2025 3:00 to 4:30 pm Jefferson County Courthouse First Floor Conference Room 1820 Jefferson St, Port Townsend 98368 Call to Order at 3:04pm Michael Dawson, Joe Holtrop, Carol McCreary, Richard Hull, Scott Chernoff, Kara Cardinal, Jacquelyn Stenman, Sage Ince, John Fleming, Monica MickHager 3:04 – 3:05 Hybrid meeting/Zoom webinar etiquette 3:05 – 3:07 Agenda and Minutes Approval Holtrop moved to approve agenda, McCreary seconded, all in favor, none opposed Holtrop moved to approve minutes, Hull seconded, all in favor, none opposed 3:07 – 3:08 Public Comment No members of the public in attendance 3:08 – 3:35 Quilcene threatened station & Hood Canal #3 Data Report – Scott Chernoff, DOH Hood Canal #3 Compared to April 2024, six stations’ water quality in Hood Canal #3 has improved with no declines. Annual report just came out and recommends data evaluation for possible upgrades. May be able to upgrade Duckabush/Dosewallips areas soon, but it depends on water quality this summer. At the Duckabush Conditionally Approved area we are close to meeting APC Approved standards (13% now and need 10%). Need to wait until more closed season (May through October) results come in to do a thorough investigation for upgrading. We’ll also investigate seal population and any other outstanding sources. DOH will consider upgrading later this summer/fall if data continues to look good. For the Dosewallps Restricted area we need to check status of seals (what we’ve seen is far fewer than in past = good). Shoreline conditions must support upgrade. Are there outstanding sources of bacteria? We would like to upgrade this area at the same time as the Duckabush. Dawson: You are considering both upgrades at the same time, but is it possible to just upgrade one if it’s ready? Chernoff: Yes, if one does not meet the criteria, we will write a report for just the one. Dawson: WDFW coordinates with new Duckabush bridge project, might be collecting data on seals. McCreary: Do you differentiate between species? Chernoff: No, only test for fecal coliform. Dawson: Port Gamble/Sklallam did an eDNA study, and human and seal markers were both present. Quilcene threatened station Station 123 inside the Point Whitney lagoon had an estimated 90th percentile of 44.5 FC/100 mL, however data through February 2025 now show that the estimated 90th percentile has decreased to 34.7 FC/100 mL and Station 123 is now passing the standard, but still has a Threatened status. We currently have no information indicating that the area has new sources of pollution. Dawson: We have had water quality concerns in the area in the past, and we will investigate further. Do you have any field notes on how you sample that station? Chernoff: Taken off of the dock at the small tidal lagoon. Accessed on foot, rather than by boat. Dawson: Who collects that sample? Chernoff: Patrick. Dawson: So this station had a problem in winter, but it’s gone below 43 now, so it’s threatened but not reclassified. Chernoff: Still threatened until larger numbers drop off, but should get a new set of summer data that will help drop that number. 3:35 – 3:45 South Point 11 Hot Spot & Closed Parcels – Jacquelyn Stenman Squamish Harbor, southwest of Hood Canal Bridge. Residential land use. Commercial and recreational shellfish. DOH shellfish closed three parcels due to high bacteria. Sampling data summary: April 2019 Geomean = 304 E. coli August 2019 one sample >24,000 E. coli March 2021 Geomean = 2,003 E. coli February 2022 Geomean = 183 Enterococcus April 2025 Geomean = 859 Enterococcus Septic Systems A-frame residence: Full-time residence 1970 septic system Failed drainfield, capped septic tank, periodic pumping Needs repair/replacement permit Shoreline residence: Full-time residence Built in 1930 –pre-permit Unknown septic system Needs full evaluation by designer Code enforcement case ongoing, temporary measures in place to limit impact (capped tank, pumping schedule). 3:45 – 3:55 Pierce Creek Update – Sage Ince Pierce Creek at mouth Monthly stream sampling April Geomean = 21 E. coli High Hit 4/8/25 = 410.6 E. coli Pierce Creek at Duckabush Rd One sample >100 E. coli Pierce Creek at Mt Jupiter Rd No samples >100 E. coli Sanitary Survey Work 16 OSS in the area; 11 are >30 years old 7 pre-permit and/or non-permit and/or suspected OSS 3 OSS are current on O&M 21 survey request mailers were sent out and on 12/03/2024. 3 mailers were returned One survey was completed, one was attempted (OSS couldn’t be located), and one was completed through a complaint case. Code Compliance Work COM-SEP2025-00007 151 Kelly Rd Open Septic Tank/Seepage Pit Ongoing case, temporary sanitary measures in place COM-SEP2025-00008 170 Kelly Rd Washing machine effluent surfacing Closed due to fire – OSS no longer in use Conclusions • Pierce continues to have elevated E. coli levels • We plan to do more outreach when seasonal residents are back at their properties • We are making some progress with our investigations and will continue 3:55 – 4:05 Wet Season Summary – Mike Dawson Very dry wet season All stream stations – Foundational and Chimacum – passed both state standards Foundational Streams, percent of stations passing by year and season: 2020-2021: Wet = 79%, Dry = 64% 2021-2022: Wet = 80%, Dry 87% 2022-2023: Wet = 100%, Dry = 73% 2023-2024: Wet = 64%, Dry = 71% 2024-2025: Wet = 100% Shoreline monitoring Extended wet season sampling through April 24 E. coli high hits, 6 enterococcus high hits New E. coli hot spots: Marrowstone Island 192, South Point 009 4:05 – 4:10 Advisory Council District 3 Citizen Position – Mike Dawson Thank you to Richard Hull for his many years of service!!! Position posted on website, soon to be in the paper. Spread the word. Will advertise further. Leaving position open for a while, applications by end of June. McCreary: Suggested contacting PTMSC. Dawson: We’ll be working with them for BEACH season so we’ll be in touch. Holtrop: What is the make-up of the council? Dawson: Jefferson County Public Health, one county commissioner, Public Works, Jefferson County Conservation District, City of Port Townsend, commercial shellfish representative, and three citizens from each commissioner district. Cardinal: Am citizen representative for district 2, but am also involved with shellfish community – Moonlight Oyster 4:10 – 4:25 Clean Water District Code Revision – Mike Dawson Adding language for sewer exemption – only Port Townsend and Port Ludlow currently in code, need Port Hadlock, Black Point, and other future sewers added. Draft shared first with Clean Water District Advisory Council in August 2024. Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) has made more revisions due to septic code revisions that should be coordinated; Just received most recent version from PAO. There will be a new form to fill out for exemption, however Assessor adds all exemptions as new sewer connections are made. Trying to get this code revision done by September, before anyone connects to sewer. Holtrop: Explain “partial reduction” of the septic operations and monitoring (O&M) fee. Dawson: There’s an O&M fee assessed per parcel per the JCPH septic program, and this exemption only applies to the Clean Water District fee, but that language was needed due to changes in septic code. McCreary and Holtrop: When will people start connecting? Dawson: John Fleming, do you have that date? Fleming: Hadlock sewer first 33 connections will be starting end of September 2025. MickHager: Do other counties do this? Dawson: I asked the PAO this for future. Intent of shellfish protection districts is for non-point pollution, as well as incentive to go on sewer if available. McCreary: Need for plain speak code documents, guidance for public to read. Dawson: New septic code has guidance on JCPH website 4:25 – 4:26 Announcements • Next meeting August 14 Adjourned at 4:30 pm