(1) The secretary and the appropriate local planning agencies and purveyors, shall study geographical areas where water supply problems related to uncoordinated planning, inadequate water quality or unreliable service appear to exist. If the results of the study indicate that such water supply problems do exist, the secretary or the county legislative authority shall designate the area involved as being a critical water supply service area, consult with the appropriate local planning agencies and purveyors, and appoint a committee of not less than three representatives therefrom solely for the purpose of establishing the proposed external boundaries of the critical water supply service area. The committee shall include a representative from each purveyor serving more than fifty customers, the county legislative authority, county planning agency, and health agencies. Such proposed boundaries shall be established within six months of the appointment of the committee.

Terms Used In Washington Code 70A.100.040

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Critical water supply service area: means a geographical area which is characterized by a proliferation of small, inadequate water systems, or by water supply problems which threaten the present or future water quality or reliability of service in such a manner that efficient and orderly development may best be achieved through coordinated planning by the water utilities in the area. See Washington Code 70A.100.030
  • Purveyor: means any agency or subdivision of the state or any municipal corporation, firm, company, mutual or cooperative association, institution, partnership, or person or any other entity, that owns or operates for wholesale or retail service a public water system. See Washington Code 70A.100.030
  • Secretary: means the secretary of the department of health or the secretary's authorized representative. See Washington Code 70A.100.030
  • Service area: means a specific geographical area serviced or for which service is planned by a purveyor. See Washington Code 70A.100.030
During the six month period following the establishment of the proposed external boundaries of the critical water supply services areas, the county legislative authority shall conduct public hearings on the proposed boundaries and shall modify or ratify the proposed boundaries in accordance with the findings of the public hearings. The boundaries shall reflect the existing land usage, and permitted densities in county plans, ordinances, and/or growth policies. If the proposed boundaries are not modified during the six month period, the proposed boundaries shall be automatically ratified and be the critical water supply service area.
After establishment of the external boundaries of the critical water supply service area, no new public water systems may be approved within the boundary area unless an existing water purveyor is unable to provide water service.
(2) At the time a critical water supply service area is established, the external boundaries for such area shall not include any fractional part of a purveyor’s existing contiguous service area.
(3) The external boundaries of the critical water supply service area may be amended in accordance with procedures prescribed in subsection (1) of this section for the establishment of the critical water supply service areas when such amendment is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.
[ 1977 ex.s. c 142 § 4. Formerly RCW 70.116.040.]
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