Baby Island Heights Water Association
Current Water Status – Normal
BIHWA statement regarding missed deadline for New EPA / WA DOH Requirement. Click here to view.
Photo Courtesy of Paul Shapiro
King/NW Natural Water Management is your exclusive contact for water-related issues. Please contact them during business hours at 888-241-2503 or after hours at 888-266-7048.
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The Baby Island Heights Water Association is a non-profit, public water provider for the general neighborhood of Baby Island. Membership is granted to property owners in our service area. The map of the service area can be viewed by clicking this link to the map.
Back in the ‘20s and 30’s, the area between Fox Spit and Baby Island was well known for salmon fishing. It was so popular that there was a lodge built on Baby Island for fishermen and their families. Water for the area was from streams and occasionally, a private well. In the 1930’s, the WPA built what is now Saratoga Road and East Harbor Road connecting Langley, Baby Island and Freeland. Erosion took the bulk of Baby Island until a heavy storm demolished the building remnants in 1970. Baby Island was sold to the Tulalip tribe in 1993. The fishing and hunting cabins on the mainland eventually evolved into the neighborhoods we now see.
With more people, the need for reliable water grew. There were several private well systems and in 1986 the Baby Island Heights Water Association purchased the initial system. It consisted of 2 wells that compromised well field A and a third well, called the Pehling well. In 2000, one well failed requiring the drilling of an emergency well. At that time, it became evident that there was insufficient water to supply current or future needs. In 2010 a new well was drilled. In the first attempt, water was found at 110 feet, but it only provided 3 gallons per minute. They went deeper but it was dry. Then moving 100 feet to the east, water was found at 110 feet and 12 g.p.m. Then back to the first well, cut and pulled the casing to expose the water bearing strata and added an 11-foot screen. The total of both wells provided 30 g.p.m. pumping capacity. The water was tested, and quality was excellent. The next challenge was hooking this into the existing treatment system. Thanks to Fred Grisley, we were able to bore under Saratoga Road and connect to our existing system. The well field was completed and approved by WA DOH in October 2013. Since July of 2015 we have been pumping at full capacity and have a system that provides clean, healthy water. We are monitored and tested under the DOH and continuously obtain “Green” rating for our system and water. The wells pump water upon demand which is treated and then sent to fill up our 95,000-gallon tank that is located on the end of Opal Lane. It is then distributed to all the homes. We also provide water for the fire hydrants in our area.
The system was funded by capital improvement fees assessed to all the members. Recognizing the age of the system and the need to continue maintaining it, we have an annual “maintenance fee” in addition to the per gallon costs.
The BIHWA Board of Directors is an all-volunteer group of members who oversee the management of our community water system. Day to day operations is handled by King/NW Natural Water Management. They are your exclusive contact for water-related issues. Please contact them during business hours at 888-241-2503 or after hours at 888-266-7048. The board members serve a 3-year term and are elected at our annual meeting in August of each year. If you are interested in working with us please contact any of the board members below.
- Beth Herrild, President
- Jim Dauman, Vice President
- Lacey Lantz, Treasurer
- Nancy Seward, Secretary
- Andy McFarlane, At Large and Operations
- Bill Freeborn, At Large and Operations
- John Robinson, At Large
- Fred Grisley, Consultant , (not on Board)
- Mary Freeborn, Webmaster (not on Board)