Council hears Kitsap PUD on South Bainbridge water shortage; sends interlocal agreement to advisory committee with island-use proviso

Kitsap Public Utility District officials told the Bainbridge Island City Council on April 21 that metering and peak-demand issues have created a near-term constraint in the South Bainbridge water system and urged the city to consider an interlocal agreement to expedite a near-term intertie and coordinated longer-term work.

Chris Wierzbicki, the city's public works director, introduced the matter as an initial framework to work with Kitsap PUD on a near-term intertie and long-term coordination. "Basically it just establishes the intentions of the agencies to work together on a number of ... potential issues," he said.

Angela Benick of Kitsap PUD described technical and operational findings: the district serves roughly 3,500 meters on the island and discovered late last year that source meters were reading inaccurately, which meant available source on paper was lower than previously believed. "We discovered just recently, last year that our meters that were measuring the amount we were pumping out of the wells were reading incorrectly," she said, explaining that after replacing meters the district found less source than previously thought.

To reduce immediate peak demand in South Bainbridge, KPUD proposed conservation measures, including an odd/even watering schedule for the district's customers. "We are instituting a water only on every other day ... If your house number is odd, you water on an odd day. If your house number is even, you water on an even day," Benick said, noting the measure would be intended to reduce peak usage and buy time for infrastructure adjustments.

KPUD described a near-term intertie concept at Northeast Eagle Harbor that could be built in 2027 if grant- and capital-planning assumptions hold, and said two Department of Health grants to consolidate nearby small systems will bring infrastructure closer to the city's system this year. Dave Epperson, KPUD's assistant general manager, said that two large source meters were among those found defective and that their correction reduced reported source on paper: "Those 2 sources ... lost about 20% in each'not real water, just on paper."

Council discussion focused on transparency, equity, enforcement of water restrictions, and legal language governing any interlocal agreement. Council Member Nelson moved to add a recommendation that any city-provided water to KPUD be used only to serve Bainbridge Island customers; the amendment passed, and the full motion to forward the ILA to the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) for recommendations passed 6-1.

Why it matters: The South Bainbridge system's high summer peaks and reduced on-paper source capacity constrain the issuance of new water connections and risk delaying housing development and other projects that need water availability letters. The proposed ILA would create a vehicle for sharing source and operational capacity between the city and KPUD and for coordinated conservation and communication efforts.

What happens next: Council forwarded the draft interlocal agreement to the UAC and asked staff and the UAC to address terms including protections that water the city may provide be used for island customers only. KPUD will pursue conservation outreach, grant-funded infrastructure work in 2026, and capital planning to enable an intertie in 2027 if feasible.

(Quotes drawn verbatim from the meeting transcript and attributed to the speakers who made them.)