19D.140.060 Satellite System Service Review.
A. Service review for satellite water system development and operation shall be required in the following cases:
1. A proposed development occurring wholly or substantially outside of approved service areas for public water systems. A service area shall not be considered approved unless and until written agreements with adjacent purveyors are filed with the Lead Agency, and a water system plan, prepared by the purveyor, is approved by the State of Washington, Department of Health.
2. A proposed development within a water purveyor's service area prior to the approval of the individual Water System Plan of the State of Washington, DOH.
3. A proposed development within an approved service area, but within a portion of that area which the designated purveyor wishes to relinquish rather than extend service.
B. When it is determined by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department that the proposed new water service will require satellite system service review, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department shall refer the applicant to existing purveyors in the vicinity of the proposed development. An adjacent purveyor may decide to expand its service area to serve the applicant.
C. If adjacent purveyors decline to serve the development in a timely and reasonable manner, the Lead Agency shall refer the proposed development to a list of prequalified Satellite System Management Agencies (SSMA), as provided in Section 19D.140.070 below. The applicant should then contact at least three of these agencies to discuss terms of service. The SSMA shall be considered unwilling to serve if they do not provide written terms and conditions within 30 days of receipt of a written request by the applicant.
D. If no existing purveyor or SSMA is willing and able to provide water service in a timely and reasonable manner, the establishment of a new purveyor may be approved. It shall be the burden of the applicant, if requested by the Lead Agency, to provide documentation of correspondence with existing purveyors as well as justification for formation of the new water system.
E. Once a water purveyor providing service has been determined, the proposed project must be reviewed with that purveyor to identify the engineering, financial, managerial, and other requirements of service. Fire flow requirements for the proposed project will be determined by Pierce County Code Chapters 15.12 and 15.40. The water purveyor will have operational and managerial responsibility for the proposed activity, and that purveyor's approved plan may require more stringent utility standards than the minimum standards adopted by the County.
F. If the applicant accepts the conditions of service prescribed by the water purveyor (or SSMA), the purveyor shall provide the applicant a signed certificate of water availability prior to Pierce County's issuance of the required approval/permit.
G. After the preliminary plat approval, a written contract shall be developed between the utility and applicant to formalize the conditions of service and responsibilities. All contracts for service to new water systems approved under satellite system management shall include the transfer of ownership of the water system to an SSMA. Prior to short plat or final subdivision approval, the water facilities shall be installed to meet or exceed the required standards, or shall be bonded for completion. When a new development does not involve a short plat or subdivision, these requirements shall apply to any other land use permit or building permit.