Clallam committee keeps drafting charter language for water-resources position after public debate on costs and structure

Members of the Clallam County Charter Review Commission committee voted to continue drafting a charter amendment that would create a water-resources role or office to gather and share water data across the county.

The committee did not finalize language for the ballot; instead members agreed to keep working on a version of a draft prepared by Ron that blends a paid, professional water-scientist position with volunteer support and clearer findings explaining the county’s data gaps. Committee members said the role is intended to collect and coordinate water information — not to regulate water use.

The committee’s work matters because committee members and public commenters described large, costly water projects and gaps in basic data across the county. Public commenters and committee members cited an estimate of 466 regulated public water systems in Clallam County and noted multi‑million‑dollar projects — including references to a roughly $30,000,000 off‑channel reservoir — as examples of decisions that, committee members said, would be cheaper and better informed with improved data.

Committee members described three broad options they have discussed: (1) a single paid water‑resources professional (sometimes called a water scientist or steward) to gather and summarize data;…