Madrona Beach residents consider tax district proposal

LORRINE THOMPSON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Saturday, March 16, 2002

THURSTON COUNTY -- Some residents think it will save their homes. Others think it will destroy their community.

Some hope it will spur progress. Others fear it will spur development.

Madrona Beach-area residents have a decision to make: Do they want to form a special taxing district to bring in water from Olympia to back up their small water systems?

Thurston County officials posed the question after a $20,000 study found supply and health risks in about 17 small water systems throughout the Madrona area.

The state Department of Health paid for the study.

"The recent quake really brought things to a head," said John Segerson, an engineering consultant who conducted the study.

A mudslide on U.S. Highway 101 during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake wiped out a small water system that served four homes.

Two of those homes have been abandoned, and two are operating on borrowed water.

Vulnerable systems

The slide highlighted the vulnerability of small Madrona water systems -- they serve more than 200 homes -- and county officials were concerned about the problem, Segerson said.

One system serving several dozen homes at Mud Bay is under a state order to invest in expensive water treatment methods or find new water.

Another system lost a back-up well during the earthquake and is searching for a new source.

The problems with the water systems include:

-Many residents using spring water that is susceptible to contamination from the surface.

-The lack of backup water systems should something go wrong in primary the systems -- mainly wells operated by neighborhood associations or individuals.

-The long-term potential for salt water intruding into the water supply.

-Poor conditions for new water source development -- the area sits on a high bedrock and wells are difficult to drill in many locations.

After the earthquake and some problems that surfaced during the summer drought, some area residents approached Thurston County commissioners and asked for help.

Connect to Olympia

"What we're trying to work on now is a system that provides a more reliable water source to the community," said Jim Bachmeier, the utility development manager for the county.

The study recommends a system that connects to Olympia's city water main on Mud Bay Road, and running a water line down Mud Bay from Delphi Road to Madrona Beach Road, then along Madrona Beach Road to Griffin School.

The system would cost about $2 million.

The money could come from a combination of grants and monthly payments by area residents in a utility local improvement district -- if they choose to do so.

Whether Madrona residents move forward with a district or other actions to improve water supplies is up to them, Bachmeier said.

"It isn't something where government gets to wave our wand," he said. "It's a public process."

Mixed opinions

Feelings were mixed at a community meeting last week.

Bob Van Dorn, who owns one of the four homes that lost water in the earthquake, urged residents to consider paying for a reliable water supply.

"Your homes are becoming valuable," Van Dorn said.

If a contamination or supply problem removes a home's only water supply, "Then your $250,000 home has a problem that you don't need to have," Van Dorn said.

"My initial inclination is that I'm not interested in going along with this," said Bob Bower, who operates two small water systems in the area.

"But we're not so opposed that we can't have discussions," Bower said.

One area resident asked that her home be included in a special district -- it's not listed in the initial study area.

Skepticism

Another resident suggested the water problems have been exaggerated as a way to force utilities and growth out to the area.

"I'm in favor of progress. When they put in the water line, I want them to throw in natural gas and sewer," said Vicki Woolley, who lives on Madrona Beach Road.

Those kinds of services are needed "in order to have a reasonable lifestyle for our families," Woolley said.

The idea of a water supply that can't be counted on is worrisome, Woolley said.

However, Suzanne Smith believes a water line will be an excuse for the county to rezone the area, which will bring in more houses and development.

Also, Smith said, her water is fine.

"The problem is, we don't have a problem," she said.

Water contamination and supply problems are "limited to a handful of places," Smith said.

County officials said they can continue to provide some organizational help if Madrona-area residents want to consider a utility district.

"If there was a resounding sense that people were just not interested, we'd wrap up the report and thank (Segerson) for his work," utility planner Tom Clingman said.

But "we're hearing enough interest that we'll keep looking into this."

Lorrine Thompson covers Thurston County and health for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5431 or lcthomps@olympia.gannett.com.

On the Web:

- Thurston County

To learn more

For more information on water problems and a potential solution for the Madrona Beach area, call Jim Bachmeier at 360-754-4275.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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