The legislature recently passed new legislation called the “Hirst Fix”. This new legislation will allow permits to be issued in rural areas to build wells. According to an article in the Spokesman review, some areas of the state stopped developments because they did not have access to water. The government had to determine if permitting wells would harm current water users. With the fix, there will still be restrictions but for now most construction projects will be able to continue.
The bill was passed with a $4.3 billion capital construction budget and a $2.7 billion general obligation bond bill, along with a complicated set of rules to govern how much water can be drawn from the aquifer in rural areas.
The major points of the Hirst Fix include:
- 3,000 gallons per day for domestic wells with existing watershed planning
- 950 gallons a per day for wells without watershed planning, and 350 gallons in droughts (for inside use only unless there is a fire).
- Committees will be created and invest $300 million to improve the state’s water resources.
Follow the additional links for other relevant news articles and to read the bill:
- Hirst Fix – The Bill Passed
- Washington State Legislature, Effective date 01/19/18
- Water Law Changes Trickle Forward
- Spokesman Review, Posted 01/18/18
- Signing of the Hirst Fix
- Spokesman Review, Posted 01/21/18
