Land Use Applications are made to the County Planning Department, which refers them to the Chelan-Douglas Health District. The Health District reports to the County on the adequacy of the proposed methods of domestic water supply and sewage disposal. We charge a fee for this work to cover the costs for review of the proposal, preparing the comments to the Planning Department, and the final review of the preliminary and final plats. CDHD will bill applicants after each set of review and comments. Please see fee schedule for all of the land-use fees as fees vary depending on project and source of utilities.
More information on Land Use Applications is available in our Subdivisions and The Chelan-Douglas Health District pamphlet.
LAND USE REVIEW GUIDANCE
LAND USE APPLICATIONS & REQUIRED CDHD REVIEWS
Land use applications submitted to Chelan County Community Development and Douglas County Land Services are referred to Chelan-Douglas Health District (CDHD) for agency review. CDHD provides comments to the respective counties on the adequacy of the proposed methods of domestic water and sewage disposal for the project. CDHD charges a fee depending on the type of review to cover the costs of the administration of setting up files, reviewing the proposed documents and preparing comments to respective counties. Currently, we invoice the parcel owner following our completed reviews. Beginning July 1st 2025, CDHD will begin utilizing our SmartGov platform to provide billing and receipt of payments.
Project proposals will vary but additional reviews may be required to establish water availability and soil suitability for the proposed sites. Separate applications are required for these reviews. These applications may be submitted through our online SmartGov Portal.
2025 FEES
PUBLIC SEWER AND WATER
Developments that will be served by a municipal sewer and/or water system will need written confirmation from the utility agreeing to provide individual service to each lot. In most cases, this is completed with a "will serve" or "availability letter" from the utility. All sewer and/or water system improvements must be designed, constructed, and placed in accordance with the purveyor’s requirements. Completion of the improvements, including necessary easements, must be accepted in writing from the utility prior to final plat approval.
If it is necessary to approve the final plat before the improvements can be completed, arrangements will need to be made with the utility providing the service. Such arrangements will include providing a bond or other financial security. CDHD will need verification that such arrangements have been made prior to final plat approval.
WATER RIGHTS
Per RCW 90.44.050 “Permit to Withdraw” an application is required to appropriate ground water except for stock-watering purposes, or for the watering of a lawn or noncommercial garden not exceeding one-half acre in area, or for single or group domestic uses in an amount not exceeding five thousand gallons a day. This is commonly referred to as an exempt permit well source.
Any plat project whose need for domestic water is greater than 5,000 gpd will require a water right. If you do not already have a water right sufficient for the project, an application will be required through Water & Shorelines - Washington State Department of Ecology. The Central Region Office covers Chelan and Douglas Counties; their contact number is 509-575-2490.
Exempt wells will have to share the allotted 5,000 gpd and ½ acre irrigation amount among the proposed lots of the plat. This limitation will need to be shown on the face of the plat with the following language:
“The combined water use by all the wells in this development may not exceed 5,000 gallons per day or be used to irrigate more than ½ acre unless a ground water withdrawal permit is obtained from the Department of Ecology (RCW 90.44.050).”
PRIVATE OR TWO PARTY (SHARED) WELLS
A private individual well may provide water to one lot or two lots if shared with a joint use agreement. For private individual wells that have not been reviewed by CDHD, a private water review application will be required.
Construction of the private individual well must be located 50’ from adjacent property lines. For properties unable to accommodate these 50’ setback requirements due to utilizing existing wells, a restrictive covenant is required, or a variance may be requested. Contact CDHD for details of the Well Site Variance application.
WAC 246-272A-0320(2) states where a subdivision or plat with nonpublic (private) wells are proposed:
· configuration of each lot line to allow a supply protection zone to fit within the lot lines; or
· water supply protection zones on more than one lot when person proposing the subdivision or development provides a copy of a recorded restrictive covenant to each property that is sited partially or completely within the water supply protection zone;
· Water supply protection zone of at least 100’ radius for each existing or proposed well site.
A recorded restrictive covenant of all the land within 100’ of the well(s) of the proposed development will be required. This is to protect the water supply for the development by preventing placement of potential contamination sources such as barns, corrals, fertilizers, grazing animals, septic systems, and any other contamination source.
These recorded covenants can be declared on the face of the plat with a note such as:
“A restrictive covenant recorded with [name of county here] as [recorded AFN number here] establishes a sanitary control area with a 100’ radius around the domestic well shown [as well tag #]. No source of contamination may be constructed, stored, disposed of, or applied within the sanitary control area without the specific recorded permission of the well owner(s).”
For a well shared by two lots a Joint Use and Maintenance Agreement will need to be prepared. This will establish each lot’s legal right to access and use the well. The agreement can be submitted along with the final plat for recording. The plat will include a note to allow for referencing the separate Agreement such as:
"Well maintenance and operation agreement filed with the [name of county here] Auditor, No. [enter number].”
Other issues may affect the developer’s ability to use water, such as the need for water rights, or possible interference with senior water users. Chelan-Douglas Health District does not have the ability to address these issues. To make this clear to potential buyers or other interested parties, the final plat must carry this note:
“The Health District has not reviewed the legal availability of water to this plat.”
Construction and drilling of wells are permitted through the Washington Department of Ecology and standards are set in WAC 173-160.
GROUP B WATER SYSTEMS
If the proposed development includes a well (groundwater source) providing water for a small community between 3 to 9 connections, then a Group B Water System will need to be established. For surface water sources and developments that will provide water via wells or springs to communities that have 10 or more connections or serve 25 or more people per day for more than 60 days per year than the water source will be a Group A Water System and will require state review and approval. Contact Eastern Regional Drinking Water Office Staff | Washington State Department of Health at 509-329-2100 for information.
The first step to establish a Group B Water System is a public well site inspection, which is its own application. The primary objective of the well site inspection is to ensure the proposed well or existing well is placed in an area not exposed to contamination sources within a 100’ sanitary control area radius. The inspection will also identify any causes of concern so they can be addressed or mitigated prior to Group B Water System approval.
A new Group B Water System or expansion or modification of an existing Group B Water System will require review and approval by CDHD. All Group B Water Systems need to be designed by a Professional Engineer using the following Group B Water System Design Guidelines (DOH publication 331-467) and the information submitted in the format of the Group B Design Workbook (DOH publication 331-468). Both publications can be found on the DOH – Office of Drinking Water website.
The final plat must show the easements for access to the well and for water lines for all proposed lots. The final plat must also show the 100’ radius around the well to keep out potential contamination sources. Developers will need to establish restrictive covenants for all land within 100’ of the well(s). A restrictive covenant will be a part of the Group B Water System review.
SOIL/SITE EVALUATIONS FOR ON-SITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS
Any lot that is not served by a public sewer system must include a site that is suitable for placement of an on-site sewer system, and a 100% reserve drainfield area. A soil/site evaluation is required to verify the suitability of the soil for the proposed lots. CDHD may conduct the soil/site evaluation through an application. Our office will require the applicant to prepare the test pits, with at least one test pit per lot. A Licensed Designer or Professional Engineer may also conduct the soil/site evaluations. It is important to note that this only establishes that the development is generally suitable for placement of individual on-site sewage disposal systems. An application for a new construction septic permit will be required and additional test pits may be required based on the location of the on-site sewage system.
Language on the final plat shall contain this statement:
“Site evaluations may be required at the time of application for individual septic system construction permits.”
MINIMUM LOT SIZES
Septic systems can contribute to ground water quality issues and other contamination issues if a number of septic systems are densely packed into small land areas. Minimum lot sizes have been established to minimize these issues. WAC 246-272A Table XI sets the criteria for Minimum Land Area based on the soil type of the lot determined by the soil/site evaluation.
TABLE XI
Minimum Land Area Requirement for Each Single-Family Residence or Unit Volume of Sewage and Minimum Usable Land Area
The minimum land area is one aspect, but there must be a determination of minimum usable land area for an OSS (On-site sewage system). It is defined as the area within the minimum lot size required per development using an OSS, which is based on soil type and type of water supply. Minimum usable land area is free of all physical restrictions and meet minimum vertical and horizontal separations.
It is important to note that meeting the minimum lot size per Table XI does not ensure adequate area to accommodate a building site, driveway, water lines, etc. and still have enough unencumbered area available to place the initial septic system and a replacement area. The size of the drainfield will vary with the different types of soil, and this will affect the amount of space needed. If a lot cannot support a drainfield area, a drainfield easement may be established on an adjacent lot. Ensure the adjacent lot has adequate space for multiple OSS’s and reserve drainfield areas. The easement must be shown and described on the final plat.
FINAL PLATS
The final (Mylar) version of the plat will have a signature line for the Health District.
