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News / Northwest

Some home building halted as counties react to water-rights case

By PHUONG LE, Associated Press
Published: December 11, 2016, 6:00am
3 Photos
Bud Breakey and his wife, Deborah, walk with their 15-month-old daughter, Kaylin, on property they own near Bellingham. The couple hopes build a house and live on the land soon, but their plans were affected by a recent state Supreme Court ruling. (ted s.
Bud Breakey and his wife, Deborah, walk with their 15-month-old daughter, Kaylin, on property they own near Bellingham. The couple hopes build a house and live on the land soon, but their plans were affected by a recent state Supreme Court ruling. (ted s. warren/Associated Press) Photo Gallery

SEATTLE — As counties across Washington respond to a far-reaching state Supreme Court decision involving water rights, angry and frustrated property owners are finding they cannot depend on groundwater wells to build new homes as they have in the past.

In October, the court sided with four residents and the group Futurewise who argued that Whatcom County failed to protect water resources by allowing new wells to reduce flow in streams for fish and other uses.

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