East North Bend Water Update

wHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?

The North Bend City Council voted unanimously April 18 to approve the first read of a resolution to sign a water supply agreement (WSA) with Sallal Water Association. The City Council expressed appreciation for Sallal’s continued collaboration and the community’s input, as well as optimism about the agreement and its outcomes for the future of North Bend.

Under this WSA, Sallal’s Rattlesnake Wells would serve as a mitigation water source for the City, and the City would sell water to Sallal from the Centennial Well or Mt. Si Springs to increase the capacity of Sallal’s water supply to their members.

The process from draft agreement to Council and Board approval and signature is outlined below. Next steps include a second read of the WSA at City Council, at which point the Council would consider final approval. The second read is expected to take place June 6, subsequent to Sallal executing the agreement.

key benefits of a water supply agreement

A water supply agreement benefits City and Sallal customers for the following reasons:

Better for the environment: The addition of a Department of Ecology-approved mitigation water source at Rattlesnake Wells helps the City better meet its environmental and legal commitment to the health of the Snoqualmie River, particularly as temperatures fluctuate due to climate change.
A more reliable system with guaranteed availability: Combining systems ensures that any business, school, or home throughout both the City and Sallal’s water service area will have safe and accessible water when they need it.
Planning for the future: In 1990, the State adopted the Growth Management Act (GMA)*. All cities in King County, including North Bend, are required to comply with the GMA. Without new water supply, potential new businesses (restaurants, grocery stores, and other amenities) and multi-family residences will not have the water supply they need, and the requirements of the GMA will not be met.

* The Growth Management Act (GMA) is a series of state statutes, first adopted in 1990, that requires cities and counties to develop a comprehensive plan every 10 years to manage their population growth. The comprehensive plan creates growth management areas within a City for concentrated urban growth.