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Jefferson County Public Health – Report 2009 Performance Measures
DRINKING WATER PROGRAM
MISSION: The mission of the Drinking Water Program is to protect public health by assuring that
residents and visitors to Jefferson County have access to a safe and reliable supply of quality drinking
water and that it is reasonably available. By enforcing and monitoring laws regulating public and
private water supplies, the Drinking Water Program minimizes the threat of waterborne disease.
GOALS FOR FY 2009:
1. Assure that all new wells are constructed in accordance with requirements established by the
Washington Department of Ecology.
2. Provide technical assistance when requested so that individual water supplies are safe.
3. Limit public exposure to water systems with known deficiencies.
4. Integrate water adequacy review information with the Water Quality program’s water quality
database.
OBJECTIVES FOR FY 2009:
1. Inspect at least 50% of all new wells constructed with 25% of these with the well driller present
and 90% of all wells being de-commissioned.
2. Maintain high rates of compliance with state well drilling regulations.
3. Review all building permits and project applications to assure that potable water supplies meet
basic public health standards as well comply with state statutory and regulatory requirements.
4. Provide technical guidance to any residents requesting assistance with their individual or small
water systems to deliver safe drinking water.
5. Establish appropriate policies for alternative water supply systems.
6. Continue contracting with Washington Department of Health for public water supply projects, as
long as adequate funding is provided.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
2006
Actual
2007
Actual
2008
Actual
2009
Actual
Number of well applications received &
reviewed
126 127 76 83
Number of new wells start notification
(drilled) (includes some well applications from
previous years)
131 108 79 77
Number of wells decommissioned 13 16 17 8
Number of new wells inspected (start
notification received)
70 67 48 53
Percent of new wells (starts) inspected 53% 62% 63% 68%
Number of abandoned wells inspected 13 16 17 8
Percent abandoned well inspected 100% 100% 100% 100%
SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/SERVICE ISSUES:
Increased tracking will be done within existing databases such as permit plan and the food service
database. Databases, including the water quality database, will be updated as necessary to add new
fields to track performance indicators.
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LINKS TO COUNTY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
Protecting and enhancing natural resources.
Addressing locally identified and defined local public health problems.
Protecting and ensuring adequate clean water supplies for citizens and the shellfish industry.
Operating within a business plan based on sustainable resources, measured performance, and
outstanding customer service.
2009 STUDY/ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Applications for well inspections continue to be down substantially after several years of an increase in
well drilling activities. We are between 60% and 65% of the years 2006-2007. The small increase in
applications in 2009 reflects public misinformation surrounding the proposed Department of Ecology in-
stream flow rule implementation on December 31, 2009. Citizens were concerned that little or no drilling
would be allowed in WRIA 17, after rule making.
I do not have a good explanation for the decrease in well decommissionings in this calendar year. I
believe the increase seen in past years may have been a result of two things, the Marrowstone Island
public water supply installation and increased vigilance in the requirement. The decrease this year may
indeed be the economy, and decisions of land owners to save money and temporarily cap unusable wells.
The economic downturn has impacted all applications for development in the county. As a result, staffing
has been decreased, hours reduced and programs reassigned. There is no longer a staff member dedicated
to working in the drinking water program, exclusively.