Water Is a Human Right

- Clean water is a human right, one of life's most basic needs.
- Our artesian water comes to us from nature, from the aquifer
- The current artesian well has been consistently tested and found to be pure and safe to drink for many years. It requires no chemical additives and uses no energy.- Access to this water, in its natural state, must be a priority.

Olympia's Historical Use of Artesian Water

- Our artesian water has been here since long before the establishment of the city.
- Artesian water was one of the key attractions for development and settlement of the area and at one time downtown Olympia had about a hundred artesian wells.
- Artesian water has been one of the most famous aspects of the city, since the Olympia brewery was established in 1986. To this day “It’s the water" is still a recognized slogan, nationally and internationally.

Current Use of the Artesian water

- A survey conducted in February of 2009 at the downtown well documented over 220 people a day from Thurston County and beyond using the well.
- The well supplies the only drinking water for many households.
- The well makes significant contributions to the safety and security of our community. It provides an emergency water supply for households and businesses that experience frozen pipes in winter, for households whose wells run dry in the dry season, and during power outages for households whose pumps require electricity.
-The well supplies water for economically disadvantaged persons and those with chemical sensitivities and other health problems.
- The well is accessible by vehicle, enabling the elderly and those with physical disabilities to obtain water.
- While there are other artesian wells still flowing in downtown Olympia, the
Jefferson Street well has been regularly tested and found to exceed Washington State Department of Health drinking water standards.
- Too many historic wells have been treated as nuisances in city and state codes and as a result water is being wasted.

H2Olympia's Goals

- Most importantly, we need to formally recognize Olympia's artesian water as a priceless natural resource, and undertake a long-term strategy for protecting this water and securing the public's free access.

Specific Objectives

- First, the Jefferson Street well should be purchased by the city and managed for public use.
- Second, a structure should be built that will protect the wellhead and the water quality, ensure both vehicle and pedestrian access to the water, and provide security lighting for those who visit the well after dark.
- Once these goals have been achieved, the city should consider beautification of the area, whether in the form of a park or by other amenities, to encourage the community to value and protect the site.
- A set of procedures should be developed for developing other existing artesian wells to encourage their use. Eventually, there should be several sites throughout downtown Olympia to make this resource available to as many people as possible.

In Conclusion

- H2Olympia believes that these goals for the artesian well system are not only practical but are vital for the sustainability and health of our community.

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