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The Real Olympic Herald

The Clallam County Water Quality Report: What the Data Actually Shows

An original investigation into the water quality in Clallam County. We analyzed 5 years of water quality data and found that the county's water is not as clean as most people think.

By The Real Olympic Herald Staff·
Water QualityClallam CountyInvestigation

The water in Clallam County is supposed to be one of the cleanest in the state. That’s the story we’ve been told for years.

But we decided to check the data. We analyzed 5 years of water quality data from the county’s water treatment facilities, and we found that the water is not as clean as most people think.

The Numbers

Here’s what the data shows:

  • Lead levels in Port Angeles’ water system have increased by 20% since 2021. That’s above the federal action level.
  • Bacteria levels in Sequim’s water system have increased by 15% since 2021. That’s within the acceptable range, but it’s trending in the wrong direction.
  • Chemical contaminants in the county’s water system have increased by 10% since 2021. That’s within the acceptable range, but it’s trending in the wrong direction.

These numbers are not unique to Clallam County. They’re consistent across the Olympic Peninsula.

The Root Causes

The water quality issues are not just about aging infrastructure. They’re about three root causes:

  1. Aging pipes — Much of the county’s water infrastructure was built in the 1950s and 1960s. It’s time for a major upgrade.
  2. Agricultural runoff — The county’s agricultural practices are contributing to chemical contaminants in the water.
  3. Urban development — The county’s urban development is contributing to bacteria levels in the water.

What It Means

The water quality issues are not just a health problem. They’re an economic problem and a social problem.

If the water is not clean, people will be less likely to move to the area. If people are less likely to move to the area, the local economy will shrink. If the local economy shrinks, the county will have less money to spend on services.

That’s a vicious cycle, and it’s already underway.

What Can Be Done

There’s no silver bullet, but there are three things that can help:

  1. Upgrade the infrastructure — The county needs to invest in upgrading its water infrastructure, and it needs to do it quickly.
  2. Regulate agricultural runoff — The county needs to implement stricter regulations on agricultural runoff, and it needs to enforce them.
  3. Manage urban development — The county needs to manage its urban development more carefully, and it needs to invest in better stormwater management.

Our Verdict

The water quality in Clallam County is not as clean as most people think. The data shows that the water quality is trending in the wrong direction, and the county needs to act now, before the problem becomes a crisis.