JZ Knight
Photo © 2016 JZ Knight, used with permission.

– Editor’s Note:
The December 2011 Washington Supreme Court decision in JZ Knight’s landmark case in Yelm set precedent for water law in this state. Knight successfully argued that municipalities must ensure water availability PRIOR to developments’ plat approval.
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Click here for the case analysis from Court Listener.

– JZ Knight’s 2011 Supreme Court victory is affecting WA water law
By Phuong Le, The Associated Press:
“Some home building halted as counties react to water-rights case”
“As counties across Washington respond to a far-reaching state Supreme Court decision involving water rights, angry and frustrated property owners are finding they cannot depend on groundwater wells to build new homes as they have in the past.

In October, the court sided with four residents and the group Futurewise who argued that Whatcom County failed to protect water resources by allowing new wells to reduce flow in streams for fish and other uses. The court said counties must independently ensure water is legally available before granting new building permits. Futurewise’s Tim Trohimovich called the decision a common-sense interpretation of state law.

‘Requiring new lots and new buildings to have legally and physically available water is just basic consumer protection,’ he said.’Many counties plan and zone for way more lots than there’s water to support.'”
Click here for the full story published in The Seattle Times.

– UPDATE: December 23, 2016 print edition
“Being Frank By Lorraine Loomis, Nisqaully Valley News:
“State Water Quality Standards Are Finally Updated”
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