Litigation between Ronald Wastewater District and Olympic View Water and Sewer District over Pt Wells to be reviewed by state Supreme Court

In 1985, the King County Superior Court entered an order stating that Point Wells was annexed to the corporate boundary of Ronald Wastewater District (“Ronald”).

Since that date, Ronald has been the only sewer district that actually provided sewer service to Point Wells, and Ronald remains the only sewer district with an approved comprehensive sewer plan to serve new development in Point Wells.

Despite the 1985 court order and the long history of planning and service confirming Ronald as the sewer provider to Point Wells, Division I of the Court of Appeals recently issued a decision holding that Ronald’s corporate boundary does not include Point Wells.

 Ronald and King County filed petitions for review asking the Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals decision.

On December 4, 2019, the Supreme Court granted petitions from Ronald and King County and accepted review of the case.

The Supreme Court has summarized the legal issues in the case as follows:

“Whether a 1985 King County Superior Court order annexing an area in Snohomish County to the Ronald Wastewater District was void when issued on the basis that the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction or statutory authority to order the annexation.” 

 The Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the case on March 19, 2020.