Houses are nestled on the hillside above Harrington Lagoon, downhill from a water well that for over a year has tested positive for PFAS on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Coupeville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The EPA’s new rule only applies to water suppliers that serve 15 or more residents, known as “Group A” water systems. At least 1 million Washington residents have private wells or use smaller water suppliers, called “Group B” systems.
The Safe Drinking Water Act doesn’t protect these wells, some of which are near Harrington Lagoon. Those wells also likely have PFAS contamination, Lovie said.
“They’re not eligible for any of the loans or grants that Group A water systems can get to take care of these problems,” he said. “They’re not subject to requirements for testing for PFAS.”
Lovie and officials with Ecology — who have been tracking PFAS for years — said the EPA’s rule is a milestone in addressing drinking water contamination. But it’s only the first step in organizing funding, testing and cleanup efforts for the large and looming PFAS problem.
“This is not a finish line,” Lovie said. “This is a starting line.”
At Cosmic Veggies, located at 661 Southeast Fidalgo Avenue in Oak Harbor, people can enjoy a healthy and vegan meal while learning about the future of water on Whidbey. John Lovie, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington State Office of Drinking Water, will lead the event on April 23.
Experts worry that one day Central and South Whidbey will not have enough quality drinking water.
John Lovie, an expert advisor on drinking water, stands near a greensand filtration system inside a well house on South Whidbey. (Photo by David Welton)
Even though the region has nearly continuous rain during the current El Niño winter weather pattern, which seemingly gives residents unlimited drinking water, some experts are concerned that Central and South Whidbey will not have enough quality drinking water to satisfy demand for the future.
Addressing water availability and quality issues Monday Jan. 8, John Lovie, considered an expert advisor on drinking water and conservation of our marine environment, listened to and commented on questions posed by concerned citizens.
Lovie was invited to speak by Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon, who represents District 1. Her district includes all of Whidbey Island, south of the greater Oak Harbor area. Bacon hosts a weekly event to meet her constituents, ‘Teas with Melanie’ at WiFire Community Space in Freeland most Mondays at 3 p.m.
For as long as she can remember, Tamara Ross’ family hasn’t liked the taste of drinking water at Harrington Lagoon.
So they’ve always brought bottled water to their vacation homes in the idyllic community east of Coupeville on Whidbey Island. The family has owned property there since 1955. They now have three homes right next to each other.
“I love it,” said Ross, who goes there about once a month. “It’s our slice of heaven.”
John Lovie with the Jan Holmes 2023 Coastal Volunteer of the Year Award
I’m reluctant to post things about myself, particularly when it’s good news, but as about half the readership of this blog had something to do with this award coming my way, I’m going post this as a big thank you! This is as much about the relationships I’ve built along the way as it is about the work. The truth is that one could not have happened without the other. Thank you, all of you, for reading this and for caring about the issues I write about.
Introducing John Lovie: Jan Holmes Costal Volunteer of the Year
The Jan Holmes Award, presented by the Island County Marine Resources Committee, Sound Water Stewards, and WSU Extension – Island County, is given every year to an outstanding volunteer whose efforts contribute to the protection and restoration of the Island County marine ecosystem and coastal resources. The award is named to honor the memory of Jan Holmes, an exemplary marine scientist, educator, and champion for stewardship of the marine environment. To learn more about the Jan Holmes Award, click here!
John Lovie is a leader in the world of water quality and marine resource conservation. He is well deserved in winning the Jan Holmes Award for 2023!
John has been an avid volunteer, dedicating countless hours as part of community science organizations and community-driven boards to improve the water quality, coastal resources, and health of Island County. He can often be heard in his various committees as a voice of reason. He will take on projects and do the difficult work to drive environmental actions and ideas forward. John does more than simply attend meetings; whether he’s giving his opinion on a new Salmon Recovery project or developing technical tools, he always brings a presence of mind and critical eye to Island County’s restoration projects. His words are well thought out and considered, and his passion for protecting and restoring the environment and enhancing water quality always comes through. Island County and the Puget Sound region have benefited from his scientific background and expertise, and his prolific volunteering in multiple areas has given him a vast well of knowledge and context to work from. He shares information from all of his committees and uses it to enhance local knowledge, make connections, and drive projects forward. His background in chemistry and engineering makes him an expert who benefits every organization he is a part of.
Congratulations to John! Thank you for all of your hard work to make the Salish Sea a better place!
“Overall our member water systems are positive about the draft rule changes,” association Vice President John Lovie said in an email. “They recognize that their patrons are concerned about what is in their drinking water and want to know this information. At the same time they are concerned about the financial and administrative burden of this rule on water systems that may have as few as 15 hookups and rely on a volunteer board.”
On the island, water can seem mesmerizingly ubiquitous. We drink in the view from every possible angle. But drinking in the aqueous view can deceive us. Despite the water that stretches to the horizon in every direction, we actually have a limited supply of fresh drinking water, and that supply is intimately related to our habits—from where we build our homes to how our excretes percolate through the soil and reenter the groundwater. Because residents like to inch up to the Island’s shores to get the best view, and because seas are rising due to climate change, our aquifers are increasingly threatened by saltwater intrusion.
Wetlands as critical filters for water seeping back into the aquifer. (Photo by Jamie Whitaker)
South Whidbey’s drinking water and community will be the focus of a forum, and then a three-day conference in Clinton next week.
A panel of county, state and local officials are expected to attend, including: Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, and Island County Public Health Director Keith Higman; Jennifer Kropack, a regional planner with the Washington State Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water; Randi Perry, utilities manager for Langley; and John Lovie, with the Sun Vista/Sunlight Beach homeowners association.
