Carrolls Water Association

Location
Carrolls, Cowlitz County, Washington
3rd Congressional District

Problem
Many rural water systems struggle with aging infrastructure, limited water supply, and contamination risks due to their reliance on vulnerable aquifers. These challenges can threaten public health and the long-term sustainability of rural water systems.

Solution
RCAC’s Loan Fund provides financial assistance to rural water associations to help them secure sustainable water sources, improve infrastructure and provide safe drinking water to their customers.

Carrolls is an unincorporated rural area located 6.5 miles south of Kelso along Interstate 5 in Cowlitz County, Washington. The Carrolls Water Association serves the community through five water wells. All sources are drilled in a fractured rock aquifer that is susceptible to over pumping and contamination. In 2007, the state Department of Health asked Evergreen Rural Water of Washington to provide guidance and assistance on water loss issues and source water protection problems such as animal grazing and storage of hazardous materials in the sanitary control area.

Since then, Carrolls has implemented significant changes including water conservation measures to eliminate storage tank overfilling. CWA removed the items that impact sanitation and prepared a Small Water System Management Program, including a Wellhead Protection Plan.

Despite the progress made, the system’s ability to meet water demand is marginal. To address source capacity issues, Carrolls conducted a hydrogeologic assessment and feasibility study in 2014 to determine the best course of action to find a sustainable water source. In July 2016, Carrolls performed a drill test for a new well in an area identified as most likely to produce water but did not hit water during the test. The board members and contract operator decided to move forward with identifying the next potential site to successfully drill a new well, but the cost of an additional drill test and securing the site on which to build this prospective well threatened to bring financial strain onto the system.

Recognizing the financial challenges of securing a new well site, CWA sought external funding assistance to move the project forward. Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s Loan Fund provided CWA with a $180,000 loan to purchase a two-acre property on which it will drill a new well to address the recurring water supply issues, which is essential to the health and well-being of the community. Having ownership of this property will also allow CWA to better maintain a sanitary control area around the existing well and the new well they plan to drill.