Kittitas County’s water management activities protect surface and groundwater resources. The Drinking Water Program is managed by the Public Health Department. Public Works water resource programs include floodplain and groundwater management.

The groundwater management program improves water reliability. To achieve this goal, as of December 2, 2015, all new groundwater uses within the Yakima Basin portion of Kittitas County are required to:

1. Mitigate — Water mitigation certificates are issued from a water bank. Mitigation certificates provide the ability to legally extract water out of a well for domestic use.
2. Meter — Metering is required for those who purchased water mitigation from the Kittitas County Water Bank or a private water bank.

The requirements are found in KCC 13.40 and need to be met during the land subdivision and building permit processes.

Kittitas County Public Water Bank

The Kittitas County Public Water Bank can serve property owners within our bank’s zone who will apply for a building permit within two (2) years of receiving mitigation through the bank. Parcels within the Yellow Zone may also be eligible. Two (2) mitigation packages are available.

• Package A, only available to folks with access to other outdoor irrigation, offers 275 gallons per day indoor domestic use only.
• Package B, only available to folks without access to outdoor irrigation, offers 275 gallons per day indoor domestic only with 25 gallons per day for outdoor use up to 500 square feet.

The packages offered through the Kittitas County Water Bank were determined by a Citizen’s Advisory Committee and adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.

Kittitas County provides information about public and private bank service areas on COMPAS, the Kittitas County online mapping service. COMPAS Water Resources Guide

Over-the Counter Water Mitigation Process (OTC)

Many landowners are eligible for Kittitas County’s Over-the Counter Mitigation Process, which provides an expedited eligibility review and mitigation issuance. The processing time to obtain a water mitigation certificate using the OTC process is approximately two weeks. To purchase water mitigation through the OTC water mitigation process, complete the steps as outlined in the Kittitas County Water Bank Over-The-Counter Water Mitigation Process.

Ecology Approval Process

Some parcels eligible to mitigate through the Kittitas County Water Bank will require Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) review and approval. The review time for these applications is six months-one year. For parcels that require Ecology review and approval, follow the steps outlined in the Kittitas County Water Bank Ecology Approval Required Mitigation Process.

EyeOnWater

Parcel owners with water meters monitored by the Kittitas County Metering Program are provided direct access to water usage data through the Badger Meter EyeOnWater application. EyeOnWater is a secure online website that allows you to detect leaks, understand how much water you use, and discover trends for when you use the most water. To activate your account visit: EyeOnWater-Signup