Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-590 - Procedures relating to the reservation of water for future public water supply
Section 173-590-010 - Background

(1) The Water Resources Act of 1971 (chapter 90.54 RCW) sets forth fundamentals of water resource policy to insure that the waters of the state will be protected and fully utilized for the greatest benefit to the people of the state of Washington, and in relation thereto, the act provides direction to the department of ecology and other state agencies and officials in carrying out water and related resource programs.

(2) The act directs the department to develop and implement a water resources program which will provide a process for making decisions on future water resource allocation and use.

(3) The program may be developed in regional segments so that immediate attention may be given to waters of a given physioeconomic region of the state or to specific critical problems of water allocation and use.

(4) Preservation and protection of water in a potable condition for adequate and safe supplies to satisfy human domestic needs is one of the fundamentals of state water resource policy set forth in said act.

(5) The act further directs the department of ecology to modify existing regulations and adopt new regulations to insure that existing regulatory programs are in accord with the water resource policies of the act.

(6) Allocation of waters among potential uses and users shall be based generally on the securing of the maximum net benefits for the people of the state. Maximum net benefits shall constitute total benefits less cost including opportunity lost.