"The Washington State Supreme Court chose to pass the buck when it ruled recently that the Municipal Water Law doesn’t violate the state constitution.

Back in 2003, a number of tribes, environmental groups and others challenged the law because it gives away a public resource to private interests and ignores tribal treaty rights. It encourages urban sprawl and takes away water needed by fish and wildlife. It gives priority of the water for future growth rather than protecting the rights of the citizens that are here today.

We pointed out the injustice that this law – aimed at helping towns preserve their water rights while planning for growth – included private developers, but left out everyone else. It left out our environment, fish and wildlife, too.

It’s a fact that there are more water rights on paper in Washington State than there is water to fulfill those rights. By upholding the law, the Supreme Court has made it possible for developers to hoard water rights, then begin drawing out more water than actually exists.

Before this law, if you couldn’t use all of your water, it could become available to other users. The Municipal Water Law changed all that. Now, developers can hold onto water they can’t even use. That’s a monopoly and it isn’t right."

Get the Story:
Being Frank: Water law an accident waiting to happen (Indian Country Today 12/9)

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