Plan would move artesian well to site near Farmers Market

By Michael Burnham, The Olympian

OLYMPIA — Advocates for the creation of a free-flowing artesian well adjacent to Olympia Farmers Market won initial City Council support Tuesday.

More than 50 representatives of the nonprofit group Friends of Artesians packed Olympia City Hall for a 90-minute pitch for the well, which was billed as a free source of water and a community gathering point.

"This is what I call a gift from the people to the people," said Jim Ingersoll, coordinator of the well project.

Here's how it could happen: Friends of Artesians would obtain environmental and health permits before designing and building the mobile home sized park. The City would own the well and perform ongoing maintenance and water-quality test and install educational signs.

Council members poured on praise for the plan.

"What we're really talking about is more than a pipe coming up in a dark parking lot It is a place where people will say I'll meet you at the artesian well," said Mayor Stan Biles, referring to an existing downtown artesian well along Fourth Avenue.

The well is more than 100 years old, but the lot is slated for development. "It seems to be an amenity beyond public drinking water," Biles said.

Artesian advocate Harry Branch said his group will submit a water rights permit request to the state Department of Ecology on Thursday.

The project may be in conflict with state law that says no public groundwaters that have been withdrawn shall be wasted without economical and beneficial use, Ecology officials said at Tuesday's meeting.

"When we talk about the existing well, we have concerns about conservation," Ecology water resource manager Mike Harris said.

However, Ecology officials said there may be a way to satisfy the letter of the law. The excess water from the proposed well could be used at the adjacent market or in nearby wetlands, said Richard Szymarek, an Ecology well-drilling coordinator.

"We'd like to see it put to some use," said Szymarek, adding that educational signs about the water's history and source could be interpreted as a public benefit.

Artesians must also obtain an operational permit from the state Department of Health, which requires that no structures be built within a l00-foot radius of the well.

Although Health Department water administrator Jarrod Davis said there may be ways to build the urban well and still meet health demands, he did not elaborate.

While the majority of council members supported the plans for the city to maintain the facility, initial annual maintenance estimates that range from $10,000 to $15,000 are not included in future city budgets.

The Artesians have promised the city a one-time endowment of $50,000.

"There's nothing to say that more money could not be raised from private groups annually," Mayor Pro Tern Mark Foutch said.

Biles added, that within the past year, a handful of civic groups have expressed interest in providing future financial support.

"I think what has been discussed here tonight would be an incredible amenity for the city," Councilman T.J. Johnson said. I'm very supportive of moving forward with this in an aggressive way."

Ecology officials pledged Tuesday to move the well permit request to the top of the agency's list of more than 1,000 applications.

City staff will serve as advisers to the Artesians as they navigate the permit process.