The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) officially granted the Cascade Water Alliance its water rights package, allowing the regional organization to eventually use Lake Tapps for municipal drinking water.

The rights allow Cascade store water in the Lake Tapps Reservoir, divert water from the White River into Lake Tapps to supply water for the water supply project, and withdraw water from Lake Tapps for municipal water supply purposes.

It also guarantees summer recreation levels for Lake Tapps and ensures flows in the White River that will support a healthy habitat and salmon runs while improving the river’s water quality. This assures Cascade the first new municipal water supply in the region in decades.

The documents were officially presented to Cascade at its December Board meeting.

“It is my pleasure to present, on behalf of the State Department of Ecology, four water rights to Cascade, which allows them to use water for municipal drinking water and to make sure other communities will also have future water,” said Tom Loranger, DOE. “The documents are tremendously technical, but really represent trust between all parties and a cooperative, collaborative effort to provide water for the region’s future,” he added.

“Acquiring this water right is a significant step for Cascade. It helps fulfill Cascade’s mission to meet the long-term water needs of our members, and it supports a regional water supply system designed to meet the needs of Central Puget Sound well into the future,” said Lloyd Warren, Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer Commissioner and Chair of the Cascade Board.

As proposed, the project will take 50 years to fully develop and gives Cascade the authority to take an average of 48 million gallons of lake water a day for public use.