Drinking Water

Public Health | Environmental Health

The Skagit Public Health Drinking Water Program works to protect public health by ensuring people have access to safe, reliable drinking water. The program:

Helps ensure drinking water comes from safe and appropriate sources.
Reviews proposed water sources and locations to protect public health.
Applies public health standards and best practices to protect drinking water supplies.
Ensures proposed plumbed structures have an adequate water supply as part of the building permit process.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do I need to submit a Water System Evaluation application?

When you're proposing development (single-family residence, accessory dwelling unit, commercial building) you will be required to submit a Water System Evaluation application.

Some development applications are exempt from a Water System Evaluation.

Repairs of existing buildings that will not increase the use of an existing water supply;
Remodel or replacement of existing, nonresidential buildings when the new work will not increase the use of an existing water supply; and
Remodel or replacement of existing residential buildings that do not:
1. Increase the number of bedrooms; or
2. Add more than five hundred (500) square feet of gross floor area.

SCC 12.48.040 (3) “PDS shall not issue any building permit for a structure with plumbing, or land division approvals until the Health Officer has approved the water system.”

What documentation is needed for a Water System Evaluation application?

The required documentation depends on the water source that serves your parcel. See the Water System Evaluation Application Documentation below.

How do I figure out what water source serves my property?

Visit the Skagit County Property Search page.
Search for your property.
Click PERMITS tab.
1. Look for Water System Evaluation. It can be shown in three different formats (W92-0000, WA01-0000, or WATER-2025-0000).
2. Water source may be shown in description.
3. Information may be accessible with file icons attached,
  
  If information is not accessible online, please submit a records request with the W, WA, or WATER number.

How can I tell if a Public Water System might serve the parcel?

If your water source may be a Public Water System, use the Washington State Department Of Health’s Source Water Assessment Program Mapping Application (SWAP Map).

For assistance using SWAP Map use the “Help” link in the upper right corner of the page.

If your property does not appear to be within a public water system service area, the property may have a different water source that is not a public water system.

How do I find a well log/drillers report for a well source?

All wells, regardless of if it is drilled, dug, or jetted, should have a well log or drillers report registered with Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY). These reports can be found on ECY’s well search page. You may need to search by previous owner name, Well Tag ID, or address.

For assistance using the search criteria refer to the “Need Help?” link in the upper right corner of the page.

If you know the property has a well but you cannot find a water well report, you may need to contact a well driller to create a new water well report for the existing well if desired and assign a new well tag ID# to the well (see picture below).

Where can I get my drinking water tested?

Group A Public Water Systems are required to test the water served to you on a regular basis. You can find the test results using Washington State Department of Health's Sentry Internet page.

Water quality samples should be analyzed by an accredited laboratory. Department of Ecology accredits laboratories and provides a Laboratory Search page. Be sure to select a laboratory approved to Drinking Water (DW).

When should I test my individual well and for what?

Washington State Department of Health recommends test every year for coliform bacteria and nitrate. These two contaminants rapidly could affect a person's health—possibly even with just one drink of water. Arsenic is also recommended to be tested once in the summer and again in winter as seasonal changes can effect the results. You can find more information on their Information for Private Well Owners webpage.

If you are applying for a building permit, water quality samples are required to complete a water system evaluation.

Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old)
Bacteriological water quality test (within 6 months)

The full list of inorganic chemicals to test for and the limits that are allowed, see Skagit County Code 12.48.110 Table 1.

Can I legally use an existing well?

Legal availability to a water source is determined by Skagit County Planning and Development Services and Washington State Department of Ecology. You will need to contact them for confirmation, especially if the source is within the Instream Flow Rule Area.

Water Systems by Source Type

Group A Water System

A water system that serves 15 or more connections or 25 or more people for at least 60 days per year. To construct a Group A system, the applicant must meet the requirements of WAC 246-290 and receive approval from the State Department of Health. WAC 246-290 covers both federal and state requirements, including system design criteria, source water protection, water quality, and, if necessary, water treatment.

Group B Water System

A water system that meets the criteria for a public water system but does not meet the criteria to be a Group A system. To construct a Group B system, the applicant must meet the requirements of WAC 246-291 and Skagit County Code (SCC) Chapter 12.48.

Individual Water System

A water system serving or proposed to serve a single-family dwelling unit.

Alternative Source

A drinking water source that is other than a drilled well constructed in accordance with WAC Chapter 173-160. Alternative sources include a spring, dug well, jetted or driven point, cistern, homeowner drilled well, or surface water source.

Water System Evaluation Application Documentation

The requirements outlined below are for Public Health review. Planning and Development Services may have additional files required related to legal water availability, source water mitigation, and/or seawater intrusion.

The following documentation will be required at the time of submitting a Group A Water System Evaluation.

Skagit PUD

Letter of Water Availability from PUD. You may contact Courtney Shilling at Skagit PUD for this requirement at shilling@skagitpud.org.
- Skagit PUD bill okay for remodel or addition ONLY.
A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.

Anacortes

Contact the City of Anacortes for a letter of water availability. Anacortes can provide their own form for water approval.
A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.

Town of La Conner

Contact the Town of La Conner for a letter of water availability. Town of La Conner can provide their own form for water approval.
A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.

All Other Group A Systems

Contact the water purveyor of your water system for a letter of water availability. Water Review Application purveyor approval form can be used to meet this requirement.
A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.

The following documentation will be required when you submit a Group B water system evaluation.

Water Review Application purveyor approval form.
A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old).
Bacteriological water quality tests (within 6 months old).

The following documentation will be required at the time of submitting an Individual Well Water System Evaluation.

Water Well Report
Well Tag ID #. A well tag is a metal engraved tag that affixes to your well. You must contact either the Washington State Department of Ecology or a licensed well driller to obtain one.
A site plan showing 100-ft radius well protection zone ,property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old).
Bacteriological water quality tests (within 6 months old).

Alternative sources include dug, jetted, sand point, and springs. The following documentation will be required when you submit an alternative well source water system evaluation.

Water Well Report
Well Tag ID #. A well tag is a metal engraved tag that affixes to your well. You must contact either the Washington State Department of Ecology or a licensed well driller to obtain one.
A site plan showing 100-ft radius well protection zone, property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old).
Bacteriological water quality tests (within 6 months old).

Alternative sources will also require a Water System Status Report to be recorded to the parcel at the Auditor, as part of the permitting process. Recording Fees are separate and paid to the Auditor.

Surface water sources can include lakes, streams, creeks, or rivers. The following documentation will be required when you submit a surface water system evaluation.

A site plan showing property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
Engineered plans for water source.
Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old).
Bacteriological water quality tests (within 6 months old).
Additional tests for protozoan cysts and viruses.

The following documentation will be required at the time of submitting a Residential Two-Connection Water System Evaluation.

Two-Connection Approval Packet
Water Well Report
A site plan showing 100-ft radius well protection zone ,property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
A 4-hour pump and recovery test.
Pumphouse design diagram.
Inorganic water quality tests (within 5 years old).
Bacteriological water quality tests (within 6 months old).

Per Ecology policy 1017, land divisions may not rely on rainwater catchment, and “the roof collecting the rainwater must be part of a fixed structure above the ground with a primary purpose other than the collection of rainwater for beneficial use” (e.g., a house or garage roof).

Skagit County Public Health Department discourages the use of rainwater as a potable drinking water source.

The following documentation will be required when you submit a rainwater catchment water system evaluation.

A site plan showing location of rainwater catch system, property lines, water lines, septic, septic lines, existing and proposed structures.
Engineered plans for water source following ARCSA International Rainwater Harvesting Manual to outlines:
- the water demand of the structure
- the treatment proposed
- collection mechanism
- storage quantity
- projected collection quantity
- cistern volume by month
Maintenance and operations plans

Regulatory References

Water Requirements for Building Permits (12.48.230)

(1) Each applicant for a building permit shall provide evidence of an adequate water supply for the intended use of the building as provided under this Chapter.

Definitions (12.48.030)

“Adequate water supply” means a water supply which is capable of supplying at least three hundred fifty (350) gallons of water per day, meets siting criteria established by State and local regulations, and meets water quality standards in SCC 12.48.110.

Water Quality Results (12.48.110 (1)(h))

(i) Bacteriological satisfactory analysis result for sample collected within the past six months;

(ii) Inorganic chemicals and physical characteristics as listed in Table 1.

(B) Inorganic testing will be acceptable for five years.