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New drinking water regulations are taking effect in Kitsap County this year of which real estate professionals and prospective home sellers need to be aware.
An updated drinking water ordinance approved by the Kitsap Public Health District Health Board in 2018 created several rules for new and existing Group B water systems and private wells. Group B water systems are typically small, community systems serving between three and 14 residential connections. More than 4,000 properties in Kitsap are supplied by Group B systems.
Several rules created by the drinking water ordinance are taking effect in 2019. Home sellers should make sure the water systems serving their properties comply with the new rules prior to sales closing. Real estate professionals should advise their clients to get a head start on meeting these requirements to avoid any delays in closing.
User agreements
Beginning Sept. 4, 2019, all Group B water systems will be required to submit a recorded User Agreement to the Health District. The agreement should address ownership and management of the system, including items like how repairs are funded, who has access to the wellhouse, how the user’s group will make decisions, etc.
The Health District will post resources to help water system managers develop user agreements at kitsappublichealth.org/GroupB.
Operating permits
By Jan. 1, 2020, all Group B water systems must have an annual operating permit from the Health District. The cost of the permit is $75.
The state tasks Kitsap Public Health District with administering Group B water systems. These new requirements will help the district ensure compliance, protect human health and cover its administrative costs.
If a homeowner is unsure if their property is served by a Group B system, they can use the Health District’s parcel search to find out. Go to kitsappublichealth.org/irecordsearch.
More information is available at kitsappublichealth.org/GroupB or by calling 360-728-2235.