Cascade’s history is now available in book form. This is a story of how water divided a community, and how leadership and cooperation brought it together again. It’s also a story about today, how more than 30 years after the ‘water wars’ many of the same regional leaders who fought over water have come together to ensure its future. Their goal is to get the region ready to help each other be prepared should anything happen to that precious resource – water. And they want to make sure that all of those who take it for granted today will be just as confident for generations that when they turn on the tap in their home and businesses years from now, water will always flow.”
Or to obtain a printed copy of the Cascade History Book, please contact Cascade at 425.453.0930 or contact@cascadewater.org.
Timeline of Cascade's History
1889 – Washington becomes the 42nd state to enter the Union; without contracts or local representation Seattle provides water to local region.
1982 – Seattle enters into 30-year agreement with 27 regional water purveyors.
1991 – Formation of Tri-Caucus (Seattle, Suburban Cities Association and King County Water Alliance)
1995 – Planning and development of new water supply sources to meet needs and governance issues.
1996 – Interim Water Group forms to create a new entity.
1997 – Multi utility agreement for developing Tacoma’s Second Supply Project (Tacoma, Seattle, Kent, Lakehaven Utilities District and Covington Water)
1998 – Cascade Water Alliance organization planning complete; membership opens to agencies.
1999 – Cascade Water Alliance created with Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Tukwila, Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer, Skyway Water and Sewer and Covington Water District (other original members who did not continue as members include Duvall, Mercer Island and Woodinville Water District)
2001 – Cascade and Puget Sound Energy enter into agreement to jointly pursue water rights for Lake Tapps (PSE will cease century long production of hydroelectric power); Seattle offers water purveyors new 60-year full or partial requirements contracts.
2003 – Cascade signs declining block contract with Seattle for water.
2004 – PSE halts all power production on Lake Tapps and with community agree to try to save the lake.
2005 – Cascade and PSE execute term sheet related to Cascade acquisition of Lake Tapps; Seattle drops out of participation in Tacoma Second Supply Project; Cascade signs Tacoma Wholesale Water agreement.
2008 – Cascade signs agreement with Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Muckleshoot Indian Tribe ensuring in-stream flows on the White River (White River Management Agreement); Cascade and Seattle amend declining block contract for additional water supply.
2009 – Cascade finalizes purchase of Lake Tapps from PSE; Cascade and the Lake Tapps community sign agreement ensuring lake levels (Lake Tapps Homeowners Agreement)
2010 – Cascade issues environmental impact statement; DOE issues water rights; Cascade, Auburn, Bonney Lake, Buckley and Sumner sign Lake Tapps Area Water Resource Agreement ensuring the four communities around the lake will have water for the future.
2012 – Cascade becomes a municipal corporation.
2013 – Cascade renegotiates contracts with Seattle and Tacoma in further regional partnerships.
2063 – Expiration of Cascade supply agreement with Seattle.