GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Water systems within Island County are subject to rules and regulations established by two Washington State agencies: the Department of Ecology (DOE) and the Department of Health (DOH). Within DOH, the Office of Drinking Water (ODW) is the sub-agency regulating drinking water standards. In addition, Island County Public Health holds regulatory authority over local water systems.
All water systems are subject to legislation administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Group A systems are regulated by the state and Group B systems and private wells are regulated by the county.
WA Department of Health/Office of Drinking Water (DOH/ODW)
- Office of Drinking Water; start here to access water system data, training, news and information.
- Where to Find Drinking Water Information; index of information resources provided by the Office of Drinking Water (ODW)
- Contact NW Region; contact information for DOH/ODW staff.
- Sentry Internet; database of all Washington State public water systems, supports retrieval of water system information, owner and contact information, water quality reports and much more.
- Group A Water Systems; start here for overview of Group A systems and links to reference material.
- Group B Water Systems; start here for overview of Group B systems and links to reference material.
- Group B Water System Design Guidelines.
- Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) Mapping Tool; developed to provide a graphical representation of drinking water source protection area.
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF); start here for information on DWSRF programs and to access tools.
- List of Approved Satellite Management Agencies; listed by county and updated regularly.
- PFAS Testing Results; results of PFAS testing across Washington State
WA Department of Ecology (DOE)
- Washington State Department of Ecology; start here to access DOE resources and information.
- Contact NW Region; contact information for DOE staff and departments
- Water Right Search; locate water right by Record/Document Number or other meta-data, and access all water right information and status.
- Water Right Mapping Tool; locate water rights through search or visual tools to access water right information and status.
- PFAS Testing Results; Results of PFAS testing for water systems across Washington State.
- PFAS Cleanup Map; DOE mapping tool (What’s in My Neighborhood: Toxics Cleanup) showing Island County cleanup sites. You can select from various options to focus on sites with PFAS or other specific contaminants.
- PFAS Chemical Action Plan Advisory Committee
- Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC)
Island County Public Health
Within the Environmental Health department, Hydrogeology and Drinking Water programs work to help insure safe and reliable drinking water supplied by the county’s public and private water systems.
You can visit the county websites for more information and sign up for the Drinking Water Newsletter. Here are some of the most popular resources:
- Drinking Water Home; starting point to access county information and resources, plus you can sign up for the Drinking Water Newsletter.
- Hydrogeology Home; overview of the Hydrogeology program in the county and index of tools and services.
- Hydrogeology Dashboard; search for wells by Well ID or water system name to retrieve technical specs and water quality data, plus visualization tools.
- Hydrogeology Map; map view of wells, water systems, critical aquifer recharge areas and sea water intrusion risk.
- Island County GIS (Mapping); generalized mapping tools for all county resources including wells.
- Parcel viewer (includes water system data); specific GIS tool for parcels within the Island County; select the water system layer.
- Coordinated Water System Plan (CWSP); developed in 1990 to provide guidance for all county water systems, including minimum design standards and defining service areas for Group A water systems.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- EPA Groundwater & Drinking Water; start here to access EPA ground water information and resources.
- Safe Drinking Water Act; passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply.
- Clean Water Act; the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution.
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF); start here for information on DWSRF programs and to access tools.
TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS
Several organizations provide online and in-person training programs appropriate for water service professionals as well as board members and others invested in learning more about drinking water topics.
American Water Works Association/Pacific Northwest Section was formed to promote public health, safety, and welfare through the improvement of the quality and quantity of water.
- AWWA Webinars; current webinars from AWWA.
- Pacific Northwest Section Training; current webinars from the PNW section plus local training opportunities in Washington State, Oregon and Idaho.
Evergreen Rural Water of Washington (ERWOW) provides training and technical assistance to water and wastewater utilities throughout Washington state. Their federal funding allows them to provide on-site training and technical assistance to water and wastewater systems.
- Current Training Programs; calendar of programs available, offered at a discount to ERWOW members.
- WIWSA has teamed with Evergreen Rural Water of Washington to offer a scholarship to a participant of Evergreen’s one-year QUEST program or to the full two-year Apprenticeship program. Visit the Scholarship page on the WIWSA website for more information or apply for the program.
- ERWOW’s Technical Assistance; the circuit rider program offers on-site services free of charge to Group A water systems and nearby Group B systems if time allow. Call (360.302.6996) or email the Northwest circuit rider Julie Robinson for assistance.
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provides environmental assistance to small municipal and nonprofit water systems, wastewater systems and solid waste management programs in 11 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
- RCAC’s Training Calendar; online and in-person workshops and training programs.
National Rural Water Association (NRWA) provides training and technical assistance nationwide through affiliated State Rural Water Associations and currently have over 31,000 utility system members across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Rural water training and technical assistance covers aspects of operating, managing and financing water and wastewater utilities.
- Upcoming NRWA Webinars; complete listing of scheduled webinars plus you can register to receive new training notifications.
- Previous Webinars; view recordings from previously held webinars.
NEWS SOURCES & OTHERS
Various online news, databases and training resources related to groundwater topics.
- Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database; information on water quality and related topics.
- Groundwater Foundation connects people, businesses, and communities through local groundwater education and action; sign up for The Aquifer newsletter.
- National Ground Water Association for news, training and general ground water information.
- PrivateWellClass.org is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois, and funded by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency offering webinars and a help center.
- TapTalk – a podcast on drinking water in rural America
- Vulnerability Self-Assessment Tool (VSAT) (epa.gov); assess the risk and resilience at drinking water and wastewater systems. Also, estimate risks from malevolent threats and natural hazards to evaluate improvement for increased security and resilience.
- Water Contamination | Health Risks and Safe Remedies courtesy of consumernotice.org
- Water Environment Federation including Words on Water, a podcast featuring conversations with influential and interesting people from the water sector and news from the Water Environment Federation.
- WaterOperator.org is a free service, grant-funded to support water and wastewater operators with comprehensive resources and information in one easy-to-use place.ß