Board of Water Supply raises concerns about Bill 1 (2026), votes to draft advisory letter to Council

Member John Helly, a board member, raised the meeting's central concern about Bill 1 (2026), which would amend the Water Availability Policy for subdivision construction plans. Helly said the proposed changes "would substantially change or inhibit the department's ability to do its business," and he asked the board to advise the County Council to reconsider the measure. After discussion, Helly moved to draft a letter reflecting those concerns; Vice Chair Ekolu Lindsey seconded the motion and it passed with six ayes.

Director John Stufflebean told the board the Department of Water Supply had submitted its position on the bill and had no additional comments at the meeting. Several members said the issue might be resolvable administratively rather than by ordinance: Vice Chair Lindsey said he favors moving projects forward more quickly but acknowledged Helly's concerns after they were raised, and Member Tina Boteilho called introducing the bill an "overstep" if the department could address the issue internally. The board agreed to discuss the draft letter at its next meeting.

Why it matters: Bill 1 (2026) would change how the county applies its water-availability rules to subdivision construction plans. Board members framed the question as a tradeoff between administrative efficiency and the department's statutory duty to ensure adequate water supply before approving development.