Kittitas County’s water management activities protect surface and groundwater resources. The Drinking Water Program is managed by the Public Health Department. Public Works water resource programs include floodplain and groundwater management.

The groundwater management program improves water reliability. To achieve this goal, as of December 2, 2015, all new groundwater uses within the Yakima Basin portion of Kittitas County are required to:

1. Mitigate — Water mitigation certificates are issued from a water bank. Mitigation certificates provide the ability to legally extract water out of a well for domestic use.
2. Meter — Metering is required for those who purchased water mitigation from the Kittitas County Water Bank or a private water bank.

The requirements are found in KCC 13.40 and need to be met during the land subdivision and building permit processes.
*water mitigation is created when older, senior water use ceases so that new uses can be established.

Kittitas County Public Water Bank

The Kittitas County Public Water Bank can serve property owners within our bank’s zone who will apply for a building permit within two (2) years of receiving mitigation through the bank. Parcels within the Yellow Zone may also be eligible. Two (2) mitigation packages are available.

• Package A, only available to folks with access to other outdoor irrigation, offers 275 gallons per day indoor domestic use only.
• Package B, only available to folks without access to outdoor irrigation, offers 275 gallons per day indoor domestic only with 25 gallons per day for outdoor use up to 500 square feet.

The packages offered through the Kittitas County Water Bank were determined by a Citizen’s Advisory Committee and adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.

Kittitas County provides information about public and private bank service areas on COMPAS, the Kittitas County online mapping service. COMPAS Water Resources Guide

Over-the Counter Water Mitigation Process (OTC)

Many landowners are eligible for Kittitas County’s Over-the Counter Mitigation Process, which provides an expedited eligibility review and mitigation issuance. The processing time to obtain a water mitigation certificate using the OTC process is approximately two weeks. To purchase water mitigation through the OTC water mitigation process, complete the steps as outlined in the Kittitas County Water Bank Over-The-Counter Water Mitigation Process.

Ecology Approval Process

Some parcels eligible to mitigate through the Kittitas County Water Bank will require Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) review and approval. The review time for these applications is approximately two years. For parcels that require Ecology review and approval, follow the steps outlined in the Kittitas County Water Bank Ecology Approval Required Mitigation Process.

EyeOnWater

Parcel owners with water meters monitored by the Kittitas County Metering Program are provided direct access to water usage data through the Badger Meter EyeOnWater application. EyeOnWater is a secure online website that allows you to detect leaks, understand how much water you use, and discover trends for when you use the most water. To activate your account visit: EyeOnWater-Signup

2026 Drought Information

On April 8, 2026, the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a drought emergency for the Yakima Basin. The declaration reflects unusually low snowpack and streamflows, which are creating challenges for farms and fish throughout the region.

As a result of drought conditions, pro-ratable water users within our community are receiving 52% of their water allotments, junior surface water rights have been restricted, and streamflows remain critically low.

Most rural homes in Kittitas County have water-use protections backed by senior water rights. Depending on when your well was established and first used, these protections may be provided through a recorded mitigation certificate or through senior water rights acquired by Kittitas County on behalf of historic well users.

What does this mean for my home?

Most homes served by individual or shared wells have water-use protections backed by senior water rights. For historic well users, these protections cover indoor household water use and irrigation of up to 500 square feet of outdoor yard area during drought-related water use restrictions. Excess water use may be at risk of curtailment.

Kittitas County has developed a Water Conservation Brochure with water savings information for outdoor water use. Download it or stop by our office for a free copy.

Additional Drought Information

The Yakima Basin Integrated Plan has compiled Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Yakima River Basin Drought