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PUD warns South Bainbridge faces limited supply; board backs temporary limits on new connections and odd-even watering
Summary
PUD staff told the Utility Advisory Committee that long-standing metering errors and declining well yields have reduced the South Bainbridge system's effective supply. The PUD board recommended suspending new binding water-availability letters and asking residents to water every other day while staff monitors summer data and pursues treatment and intertie options.
PUD representatives told the Bainbridge Island Utility Advisory Committee on Monday that a combination of over-registering source meters and declining well production has left the South Bainbridge water system with less usable supply than previously estimated, prompting near-term conservation measures and planning for interconnections with the city's system.
The agency official presenting the material said the board has passed a recommendation and that a customer letter and web page have been circulated. "We felt like it was necessary to, to temporarily suspend, the sale of binding water availability letters and ask customers to go on every other day of watering from May 1 to September 30," the agency official said, describing the measures as a first, educational step before any enforcement.
Why it matters: the PUD said source meters that had been over-registering were discovered during a re-evaluation of capacity, reducing the apparent supply available for new connections. At the same time, the South Bainbridge service area shows relatively high summer peak use — the presenter cited an average daily demand around 189 gallons per household and peak-day averages above 600 gallons — which together left the system at risk of exceeding reliable capacity during hot, dry periods.
PUD technical staff explained that the South Bainbridge system is now a consolidated service area that grew from multiple small systems the district acquired or managed. The agency described variable well performance: one recently drilled well (Well 10) is producing about 200 gallons per minute, while other drilled wells produce far less (Well 9 roughly 20 gpm) and some drilled bores found no productive water. "We recommend basically no more drilling in the southern part of the island," the water resources manager said, citing bedrock and thin glacial deposits that limit aquifer productivity.
Water quality concerns: the water resources manager reported detections of PFAS compounds in both Billpoint and South Bainbridge wellfields. "One of them is PFOA and it's above the MCL," he said of a Billpoint well; staff said that well — also a low producer — is being rested while the PUD works with the Department of Health and pursues potential treatment funding.
Planning and next steps: staff outlined a three-part short-term response: (1) public education and voluntary conservation, (2) targeted outreach to high-use customers and potential operational restrictions, and (3) technical work and funding pursuits to increase resiliency. The PUD suggested faster options such as a permanent intertie or wholesale agreement with the city to supplement supply during peak demand, and longer-term consolidation of adjacent small systems (Rose Avenue, Harbour Crest) using grant funding. Staff said they had secured grant opportunities that could provide significant support — presenters referred to grants in the range of millions ("up to $5,000,000 each," with mention of two such grants for roughly $10 million in improvements) — and cited DWSRF support mechanisms for consolidation projects.
Timing and decision points: the PUD said it will monitor summer production and usage data and produce a recommendation to its board early in the first quarter of 2027 about whether to lift or modify the temporary measures. For the PFAS detection noted at Billpoint, staff said regulatory timelines allow corrective action and that work to evaluate treatment options could extend to 2029 under the current compliance window.
What was not decided: the committee did not have a quorum and therefore did not take a formal action; the PUD's board had already passed a resolution recommending the temporary measures and staff said the measures are in place while the PUD studies interties, consolidation, and funding.
The PUD also outlined wastewater and reclaimed-water opportunities in the South End that could reduce peak potable demand if pursued, including improved SCADA control at the Fort Ward plant and options for purple-pipe reuse, but those require additional funding and coordination with the city.
The PUD asked the committee and council liaisons to coordinate conservation messaging and staff-level interagency meetings to develop an interlocal or wholesale agreement that would define technical, legal, and financial terms for sharing water during peak days.
The committee requested the PUD return with a full business-plan briefing and maps; staff said they will share the draft water-system business plan and the capital facilities plan materials and seek committee feedback next month.
Ending: staff said summer monitoring data should be available in Q4 and that the PUD will present recommendations to its board in early Q1 2027. Committee members thanked presenters and requested additional detail on financial terms for any intertie or consolidation project.
