The Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Health Section will hold an open house from 6-7 p.m. today, Oct. 5, at the Dungeness Schoolhouse, 2781 Towne Road in Sequim.

The purpose of the meeting is to update the public on the Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) pilot project currently underway in the lower Dungeness watershed. The goal of this project is to identify and correct sources of bacterial pollution within the Golden Sands Slough and Meadowbrook Creek and Slough.

Dungeness Bay has struggled with water pollution problems that have resulted in the closure of some of the bay for commercial shellfish harvesting. In 2014, the county, in partnership with the Clean Water Work Group and public, developed a PIC plan to coordinate water pollution identification and correction activities more effectively.

The county is piloting the PIC plan in the Golden Sands Slough area and other parts of the lower Dungeness watershed in an effort to safeguard public health and restore and protect shellfish growing areas. The open house will include a summary of results from water quality sampling that has occurred at Golden Sands Slough and throughout the pilot project area.

Information also will be shared about financial assistance, including grants and loans that are available to help homeowners repair or replace failing on-site septic systems. County staff also will ask the public to share their ideas for cleaning up pollution in the PIC pilot area and for how they can become more involved. Note that this open house provides an update on the PIC pilot program and will not be discussing the 3 Crabs Restoration project, which is not part of the PIC pilot program.

More information can be found at http://www.clallam.net/PIC or by contacting Carol Creasey at 417-2424 or EnviroHealth@co.clallam.wa.us.