05/16/2016 - MinutesUtility Committee Minutes
Meeting of May 16, 2016
Page 1 of 2 City of Port Orchard
Utility Committee
Meeting Minutes
May 16, 2016
Utility Committee Members Cindy Lucarelli, Fred Chang and Scott Diener met on May
16, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. at the Port Orchard City Hall – Room #306. Also present: Mayor
Rob Putaansuu, Public Works Director/City Engineer Mark Dorsey and Foreman/Water
System Manager Thomas Hunter.
City Water System(s) Lead Testing - Discussion: Foreman/Water System
Manager Hunter provided Committee members with a brief overview of the recent
information prepared and provided to the Mayor and City Council in regards to the
City’s status concerning the current national topic of lead in drinking water. In
summary, the City complies with the Safe Drinking Water Act and the 1991 Lead &
Copper Rule, which includes sampling of the City’s system and 40 homes every 3 years.
F/WSM Hunter also noted differentiating factors between water systems (like Flynt,
Michigan), such as groundwater vs. surface water (primarily Ph), system age and
system components (i.e., the City of Port Orchard uses copper service lines, not ‘lead
goosenecks’) within the system. In 2012, the City’s drinking water lead level was less
than 0.004 mg/L, being well below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 0.15
mg/L. F/WSM Hunter also discussed the legislative directive for school districts to be
responsible for the monitoring and testing of lead levels within their facilities. No
further action at this time.
USGS (2011-2015) Groundwater Model - Update: Foreman/Water System
Manager Hunter provided Committee members with an update on the recently
completed Kitsap Peninsula Groundwater Model (a numerical simulation of the
groundwater-flow system of the Kitsap Peninsula), being a 5-year partnership between
the USGS, the Kitsap Peninsula Water Purveyors (WaterPak) and other interested
parties. In brief summary, the Model is a regionally supported (including local Tribes)
and accurate groundwater modeling program to be used as a tool for water supply
evaluations and planning, water rights and water rights mitigation conversations and
other scenarios to be determined. In general, with the good health of the peninsula’s
aquifer’s now confirmed and past mitigation practices being reevaluated, the processing
of water rights will be greatly improved. No further action required at this time.
City Hall (Well #3 & #4) Decommissioning - Update: PWD Dorsey and F/WSM
Hunter provided a brief update to Committee members on this ongoing project. As
reported previously, the free-flowing artesian well located within the City Hall Parking
Lot (now Well #2 instead of Well #3) that is required to be capped and abandoned, has
been disconnected from the Well #7 Distilling Basin. It has now been determined that
Well #2 is the source previously thought to be Well #4 (required to be found and
decommissioned.) Therefore, the City has resolved the Well #4 issue (now understood
Utility Committee Minutes
Meeting of May 16, 2016
Page 2 of 2
to be the long abandoned pump station at Ross Creek), and is focused on the
satisfactory resolution of the Well #2 issue, now that the source water to the Well #7
Distilling Basin has been defined as Well #7 only. There are three options being
pursued with the State with regards to Well #2, being 1) allow Well #2 to continue to
free-flow into Sinclair Inlet via an existing storm drainage outfall, 2) permanently cap
and decommission Well #2 (at great cost and risk) and 3) provide the City with an
untreated water source for a fountain, an educational water feature, or other uses
(water for pets, etc.) To be continued (F/WSM to meet with Ecology.)
Storm Drainage Mitigation Vesting – Discussion: Having met with the City’s new
Legal Counsel in regards to the complications associated with the Storm Drainage
‘vested rights doctrine’ vs. the ‘common law vested rights doctrine’ and the City’s
NPDES Permit compliance, PWD Dorsey requested a Policy Memo to be written,
providing guidance to Staff given various development scenarios. Lighthouse has
agreed to preparing a Policy Memo. To be continued.
Well No. 9 Update – Discussion Cont’d.: PWD Dorsey reminded Committee
members that the 2016 Redesign effort by HDR Engineering is underway (adding a
Manganese Treatment System to Well No. 9 in 2017) and that Lighthouse is obtaining
Well #9 files from Morris Law to continue the Errors and Omissions potential with the
original Well No. 9 design consultant. To be continued.
Next Meeting(s): June 20, 2016 - 9:30 a.m. at the City Hall (Room #306)
Next SAC Meeting(s): July 20, 2015 - 6:30 p.m. at SKWRF Conference Room
Meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.
cc: Council, City Attorney, Mayor and Department Heads