At Olympic View Water & Sewer District, protecting our drinking water is a top priority. Our local watershed and wellhead areas are crucial for ensuring a clean, reliable water supply. The aquifers beneath us feed the District’s wells and our Deer Creek surface water treatment plant, providing a significant portion of the water delivered to your homes.

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What Is Watershed and Wellhead Protection?

A watershed is the area where rainfall collects and flows into nearby water bodies, such as lakes, streams, or aquifers. These aquifers, along with surface water from Deer Creek, provide a substantial part of the water used in our District. Wellhead protection involves strategies to keep contaminants out of these sensitive areas, ensuring the water remains safe for drinking.

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The Olympic View Watershed Protection Plan lays out the steps we take to protect these vital resources. It identifies potential threats like stormwater runoff, chemicals, and persistent contaminants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and outlines measures to prevent contamination. Ensuring the integrity of our aquifers and surface water is key to maintaining the high quality of our drinking water.

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How You Can Help

1. Proper Disposal of Chemicals: Never pour household chemicals, oils, or medications down storm drains or onto the ground. These substances can seep into the aquifers or Deer Creek over time, threatening the safety of our water supply.

2. Maintain Septic Systems: If you use a septic system, regular inspections and pumping are essential to prevent leaks or overflows, which could introduce harmful contaminants into the groundwater and surface water sources.

3. Reduce Fertilizer and Pesticide Use: Lawn and garden chemicals can easily wash into groundwater or Deer Creek during rainstorms. Limiting their use or choosing organic alternatives helps reduce the risk of contamination.

4. Prevent Stormwater Infiltration in Critical Areas: It is crucial to prevent stormwater from infiltrating in the watershed, wellhead, and surface water protection areas. Stormwater carries pollutants, including harmful chemicals like PFAS, that can contaminate both groundwater and surface water. Support community efforts to prohibit stormwater infiltration systems, such as underground injection control wells, in sensitive areas, and help ensure runoff is properly managed outside these critical zones.

By taking these actions, you can help safeguard our local water sources, ensuring clean, safe drinking water for generations to come. For more information, visit the full 2023 Watershed Protection Plan on our website.