Attention all Water System Board Members or Owners, and Individual Well Owners, please take 5 minutes to fill out the CWSP survey! You may have heard that there is a project underway to update the Island County Coordinated Water System … Continue reading Coordinated Water System Plan Surveys
PFAS found in beer John Lovie has a new post as part of his series on PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, “Forever Chemicals”) in drinking water. You can read all the previous PFAS posts here. Read today’s post here. Continue reading This feels personal
Revised Goals and Policies Released for 45 Day Public Comment Period From the county’s email release today: In 2024 and 2025, planning department staff engaged the public in reviewing the existing 2016 Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. Input was collected … Continue reading Island County Comp Plan Goals Released
On the latest episode of Action Hour, the Whidbey Environmental Action Network’s podcast, host Amanda Bullis talks with John Lovie about the current state of drinking water on Whidbey and Camano Islands. Listen Now and check out John’s Substack, Mostly … Continue reading John Lovie talks Water on WEAN Action Hour
The Washington State Board of Health (Board) wants your feedback on draft updates to WACs 246-290-315 and 246-290-71006, regarding PFAS in Group A public water supplies. This is your chance to suggest changes, ask questions, or share your ideas. Your … Continue reading PFAS Permanent Rule Updates
County Hydrogeologist Chris Kelley gave an update of the ongoing review of the Coordinated Water System Plan (CWSP) to the county Board of Health on May 20th. In a roughly 30 minute presentation Dr. Kelley reviewed the the work to … Continue reading Coordinated Water System Plan Update
Attend Open House on June 3rd and Comment through June 20th The Department of Ecology invites you to review the documents describing the cleanup of the Whidbey Marine & Auto Supply site in Freeland. The principal issue is contamination of … Continue reading Toxic Cleanup Site In Freeland
The Office of Drinking Water kicks off Drinking Water Week with the announcement of the Drinking Water Week Award winners, which includes Whidbey Island Water Systems Association’s board member Jeff Tasoff. Congratulations Jeff, and the rest of the award winners. … Continue reading Congratulations 2025 Drinking Water Week Award Winners!
Department of Health has issued their March newsletter with news on the Consumer Confidence Rule (CCR) changes, the online Water Quality Monitoring Schedule (WQMS), Lead Service Line FAQs and more news. Read it at the ODW Newsletter webpage or download the printable PDF. Continue reading ODW Now — March 2025
DOH/ODW provides a deep library of documents, along with online tools and technical support to help you manage your water system. Check it out, especially if you’re new to this world of water: Where to Find Drinking Water Information to … Continue reading Where to Find Drinking Water Info
PFAS Statewide Funding Strategy: Four-Year Plan for Prevention, Reduction, and Mitigation in Washington State The legislature asked Dept of Ecology, in consultation with Dept of Health, to develop a funding strategy. The current state budget forecast shows a shortfall, so this big budget need arrives in a belt-tightening moment. It doesn’t mean it won’t get funded. The legislature will need to hear from impacted communities about whether they support these strategies, what is most important to do first, and if you think they should do something else instead. Continue reading Ecology releases four-year statewide funding strategy for PFAS
This news update is part of a series on PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, “Forever Chemicals”) in drinking water. You can read all the previous posts here. Continue reading Stone, meet water
A one-day class from Whidbey Environmental Action Network From now through December 2025, Island County is going through a comprehensive planning process that will shape the local code and policy for the next twenty years. We need your voice in the room — especially if public speaking doesn’t come naturally to you. We recognize that it is a cultivated skill and are offering community members an opportunity to build that skill at our first Finding Your Civic Voice Workshop. When: December 8 from 9 am to 4 pm (with a break for lunch) Where: Bayview Cash Store Front Room, Second … Continue reading Finding your Civic Voice
Climate Resiliency Sub Element – call for comments Over the last two weeks, Island County Planning Department held a series on three Stakeholder Workshops to discuss the Climate Resiliency Sub Element for the Comprehensive Plan. Stakeholders from a variety of … Continue reading Island County Comprehensive Plan
This month, I found myself on a stakeholder panel for a series of three workshops on the Climate Resiliency Sub Element of the Comprehensive Plan, required by the State Department of Commerce as part of the county’s comprehensive plan update. The first workshop was on sea level rise. For a primer on the sea level rise issues our island is facing, you can read An Imperfect Storm. Continue reading A Gray Tsunami