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Freeland sewer feasibility and seawater intrusion raised in public comment; commissioner clarifies "sole source" aquifer meaning
Summary
Whitby Water Services owner Andy Campbell urged the Board of Island County Commissioners to consider constraints on water and septic in Freeland, citing seawater intrusion and a long-running Freeland sewer study; commissioners clarified technical limits and the planning record.
Andy Campbell, owner of Whitby Water Services and a longtime manager of the Freeland Water District, used public comment Feb. 18 to flag water-supply and septic limits that affect housing and development in Freeland and other island communities.
"As the water goes, as a sole source aquifer, the water supply is susceptible to seawater intrusion," Campbell said, adding that he frequently tests wells and that "some of them are now almost double what the state recommends as an action level." He described work on a multi-year Freeland Sewer Study and soil testing around Freeland and south of Coupeville to assess whether treated wastewater could be used to recharge the aquifer.
Campbell said the sewer planning effort spanned about 17 years and used specialized consultants. "Over 17 years and $2,500,000 of a $5,000,000 state grant were spent on these documents," he said, and that Freeland ultimately concluded sewers were not feasible and shelved the project. Campbell offered to share his 29 years of experience managing water systems with county planning staff, saying he was willing to meet with Emily and Jonathan from planning.
During commissioner comments later in the meeting, Commissioner Johnson addressed terminology and local options raised in Campbell's remarks. "Sole source aquifer does not mean a single aquifer. It means that we get a majority of our water from groundwater," Johnson said, explaining that localized seawater intrusion can affect particular wells without contaminating every aquifer layer and that deeper drilling can sometimes reach additional water-bearing layers.
Johnson also summarized that earlier technical work found limitations to land application recharge: recharge of treated sewer effluent to deeper aquifer layers may be slow and can create surface runoff if the top layer cannot absorb water quickly enough, a reason the Freeland sewer option proved challenging.
The public comment and commissioner clarification drew no formal action; Johnson thanked Campbell for offering to assist planning staff and encouraged the county to follow up through its planning processes.
Key details from comments and discussion: Campbell said many wells show signs of seawater intrusion and that Freeland—s sewer planning spent roughly $2.5 million of a $5 million state grant before being set aside; Commissioner Johnson explained "sole source" refers to reliance on groundwater for the county's drinking water and cautioned that localized problems do not mean the entire aquifer is contaminated.
