Yachats Drinking Water Protection Plan

GSI developed a Drinking Water Protection Plan that identified threats to the City of Yachats’ water supply, described strategies to reduce or prevent risks to the water supply, outlined a plan for implementing strategies in the near-term, and described a contingency plan in the event of a water supply emergency. We supported public involvement in the plan by forming a working group of representative stakeholders and facilitating stakeholder and public meetings.

The plan was approved in August 2021 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The approval letter described the plan as “well-organized and thorough,” noting that the “‘Yachats’ Plan will now serve as an outstanding example for other water systems interested in developing their own protection plans.”

Following plan approval, GSI helped the City of Yachats to secure Drinking Water Source Protection funding (offered by OHA and DEQ) to implement actions outlined in its plan and assisted with implementation efforts. GSI also developed community outreach materials about the drinking water source and ways to help protect it, compiled city codes that promote water conservation, and developed a high-level source water monitoring plan.

GSI’s work involved:

• Identifying drinking water supply risks and strategies to address those risks.
• Facilitating stakeholder and public meetings.
• Securing grant funding.
• Developing a variety of outreach materials.
• Analyzing water conservation city codes.
• Developing a source water monitoring plan.