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Jefferson County Public Health
Performance Measures 2011 Year-End Report
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 2011
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 quality issues discover through building permit adequacy review information with the
Water Quality program’s water quality database.
OBJECTIVES FOR FY 2011
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 2008 2009 2010 2011
Projected
2011
Actual
# of well applications received & reviewed 76 83 61 80 56
# of new wells start notification (drilled)
(includes some well applications from
previous years)
79 77 62 75 57
# of wells decommissioned 17 8 13 15 12
# of new wells inspected (start notification
received) 48 53 32 30 31
% of new wells (starts) inspected 63% 68% 52% 50% 54%
# of inspected wells with driller on site
(includes new and decommissioned wells) -- -- 25 -- 28
% of inspected wells with driller on site -- -- 55% -- 65%
# of decommissioned wells inspected 17 8 13 12 12
% decommissioned wells inspected 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/SERVICE ISSUES:
Tracking is being improved with planned updates of Tidemark and shifting other program databases
into Tidemark. This will facilitate a centrally located database with information across multiple
departments for better coordination and efficiency. The Tidemark database has been modified to
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allow better track and reporting to comply with the requirements in accordance with the Water
Management Rule for WRIA 17. Future focus must be on maintaining consistent data entry, verify
accuracy and determine ways to make information readily available for the public.
There continues to be a need to establish a funding source to provide adequate staffing to focus on
water issues in Jefferson County. Water quality and quantity is a topic expected to be at the forefront
of future economic and environmental sustainability. Lacking appropriate resources directed to the
issue, staff may be at a severe disadvantage to appropriately respond to the broad range of issues in
this regard. Where feasible more public outreach is necessary to effectively communicate
requirements to minimize future possible enforcement actions.
STUDY/ANALYSIS
Applications for well inspections continue to be down substantially after several years of an increase in
well drilling activities. There has been a roughly 25% decrease in the number of wells drilled in the
county this year as compared to 2008. Drilling activities have generally been static and declining since
2008, basically mirroring the economic forecasts of a flat recovery. The slight increase in well drilling
activity in 2009 can be attributed to public anticipation of the pending WRIA 17 In stream flow water
rule that was implemented on December 31, 2010.
The number of well decommissioning can be partly attributed to septic permitting activities together with
the expansion of public water service to areas previously not served. We are also tracking a
decommissioning that occurs as a result of an initial attempt to drill, where the result is either dry or
untreatable water (mostly chlorides) and the well is decommissioned, prior to the driller leaving the site.
That process of tracking started approximately 2007.
The continued 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 exclusively to working in the drinking water program.
As funding sources dissipate issues related to drinking water become less preventative based and more
complaint driven.
In house expertise is being undermined with unsustained funding. There is a limitation on
trainings/seminar attendance and multi-jurisdictional interaction related to water issues. These forums
give rise to new and creative means to provide alternative water supplies and initiate conservation
measures that minimize impacts of water shortages. Coordinated Water System planning in the county
has been disabled and now water resource planning units are on the verge of being dismantled. Where
will all of the institutional knowledge from these efforts end up?
Updated: March 1, 2012