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County health staff win state grants for group-B water systems and solid-waste complaint response
Summary
Cowlitz County approved two Health and Human Services contract renewals: $20,259 from the Washington State Department of Health for Group B water systems support and a two-year, up-to-$187,895 contract from the Department of Ecology for solid-waste complaint response.
The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved two Health and Human Services contract renewals: a Department of Health amendment adding $20,259 to support work with Group B water systems, and a two-year Department of Ecology contract providing up to $187,895 for solid-waste complaint response.
"Group B system is 3 to 14 connections. It's usually like a small group of neighbors that may share a well," Gina James, Health and Human Services, told commissioners when presenting the Department of Health amendment. She said there are about 100 Group B systems in the county and the added funding will support water testing and application assistance.
James described the Ecology contract as a renewal for a two-year period to help the county investigate and respond to solid-waste complaints, including litter, accumulation of garbage and vehicles that could cause vector or leaking-fluid concerns. "This grant is for solid-waste complaints," James said.
Commissioners asked about illegal dumping investigations and enforcement. James said illegal-dumping cases are difficult because investigators often must determine property ownership and who is responsible for cleanup; the county generally works with property owners to abate hazards but tracing dumpers is challenging. She added the environmental-health unit deploys four field staff who handle many such complaints and that she would follow up with data on how many complaints arrive monthly and whether complaints have increased over the last five to ten years.
Both contract amendments were approved on motion without public comment. Commissioners asked staff to provide follow-up information on complaint volumes and staffing levels.
Ending: The county will use the DOH funds to continue technical support to small shared-water systems and will use Ecology funds to sustain existing solid-waste complaint response work while staff gather more-complete data on complaint trends and staffing needs.
