UPDATED: A significant amount of our city drinking water comes from five or six wellheads that tap into a shallow aquifer. This aquifer is at risk of contamination (from stormwater and hazardous run-off) and the city has been working with an advisory group of Redmond industries and commercial companies to implement aquifer safeguards.
Last night, Council listened to Planning Director Rob Odle and Department of Natural Resources Manager Jon Spangler discuss progress with these industries as related to the "Wellhead Protection Implementation Program." City water rate-payers will share the cost of design and construction of the improvements with the all the parties (industries and commercial businesses) involved. The Plan is scheduled for Council approval in August.
The greater the threat, the more the city will reimburse them. For Category One High Priority parties, costs will be reimbursed 75% if their improvement project is completed within 2.5 years and 50% if reimbursed within 2.5-3 years. Category Two Lower Priority parties, costs will be reimbursed 60% if completed within 4 years. All city water rate-payers will pay the cost for these reimbursements regardless of whether their drinking water comes from the aquifer. Establishing a mediation process is the last remaining issue before the new program starts on October 1, 2013. Costs of the program were not discussed. Negotiations have been going on for around two years.
Spangler said the city tests 130 aquifer monitoring wells every six months for contaminants. Regarding value of the aquifer, Spangler said "the city saves over $1.5 million/year over buying water from Seattle." And, "If we lost our aquifer to contamination it's a $51 million buy-in to Cascade Water Alliance for that quantity of water." Spangler said, "the city has already spent $28 million to upgrade our wells which now have a useful life of 50 years."
Spangler concluded: "Based on activities in the city and projected densities and the shallowness of the aquifer and industrial activities, the risk is high if we do nothing. Some older systems direct stormwater from parking lots directly into the groundwater. Hopefully, we'll have an aquifer that's clean and healthy for a decade to come and will save the city millions in keeping that safe."
Reported by Bob Yoder
Source: 7/23 City Council Study Session
Last night, Council listened to Planning Director Rob Odle and Department of Natural Resources Manager Jon Spangler discuss progress with these industries as related to the "Wellhead Protection Implementation Program." City water rate-payers will share the cost of design and construction of the improvements with the all the parties (industries and commercial businesses) involved. The Plan is scheduled for Council approval in August.
The greater the threat, the more the city will reimburse them. For Category One High Priority parties, costs will be reimbursed 75% if their improvement project is completed within 2.5 years and 50% if reimbursed within 2.5-3 years. Category Two Lower Priority parties, costs will be reimbursed 60% if completed within 4 years. All city water rate-payers will pay the cost for these reimbursements regardless of whether their drinking water comes from the aquifer. Establishing a mediation process is the last remaining issue before the new program starts on October 1, 2013. Costs of the program were not discussed. Negotiations have been going on for around two years.
Spangler said the city tests 130 aquifer monitoring wells every six months for contaminants. Regarding value of the aquifer, Spangler said "the city saves over $1.5 million/year over buying water from Seattle." And, "If we lost our aquifer to contamination it's a $51 million buy-in to Cascade Water Alliance for that quantity of water." Spangler said, "the city has already spent $28 million to upgrade our wells which now have a useful life of 50 years."
Spangler concluded: "Based on activities in the city and projected densities and the shallowness of the aquifer and industrial activities, the risk is high if we do nothing. Some older systems direct stormwater from parking lots directly into the groundwater. Hopefully, we'll have an aquifer that's clean and healthy for a decade to come and will save the city millions in keeping that safe."
Reported by Bob Yoder
Source: 7/23 City Council Study Session
Thanks for covering this important story, Bob. A big part of guaranteeing that we have a "Sustainable Redmond" is insuring that our water supply itself is sustainable.
ReplyDeleteThe industry "advisory" group was more of a lobby and negotiating arm for select businesses. Two years ago their experts claimed the was little risk to the aquifer to justify the city's requirements. When that failed they negotiated hard with the city to limit their design and construction costs.
ReplyDelete