(OLYMPIA,
WA) -- The Washington Supreme Court has reversed a decision by the state to
grant new water rights to the city of Yelm to serve its growing population. The
court on Thursday ruled 6-3 that the Department of Ecology exceeded its
authority in approving Yelm's water rights under a narrow exception in cases
where water is limited. In the majority opinion, Justice Charles Johnson wrote
that municipal water needs do not rise to the level of overriding public
interest. DOE says the permit would have provided about 841,000 gallons of
water a day, or enough water to serve 1,682 homes. It's not clear how the
decision will affect the Thurston County city of about 7,500 people.
