By Michelle McClausky, Broker, Selling Wenatchee LLC | AXEN Realty, Wenatchee, WA (WA License #21033268). Updated October 2026.
Raw land and acreage are some of the most rewarding purchases in North Central Washington: orchard benches above Malaga, hillside parcels near Cashmere and Leavenworth, and open ground across Douglas County toward Orondo and Palisades. They are also the purchases where buyers get surprised most often. A beautiful parcel is only buildable if you can prove three things: you have physical water, you have legal water, and the soil can handle a septic system. This guide walks through how each piece works locally, who regulates it, and what to ask before you write an offer.
This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change; always confirm with the agencies linked below for your specific parcel.
Who regulates what
- Chelan-Douglas Health District (CDHD) permits all on-site septic systems in Chelan and Douglas counties, licenses septic service providers (installers, O&M providers and pumpers), and reviews private water supplies for new homes. (CDHD septic permitting, CDHD drinking water)
- Washington State Department of Ecology administers water rights, well construction standards and well logs, and basin rules such as the Wenatchee instream flow rule (WAC 173-545). (Ecology: groundwater permit exemption)
- Chelan County (Community Development and Natural Resources) issues building permits and runs the county Water Management/Mitigation Program for new residential uses in the Wenatchee, Entiat and Lake Chelan basins. (Chelan County Water Management Program handout)
- Douglas County issues building permits on the east side of the river. Water availability is still required statewide under RCW 19.27.097.
Step 1: Water you can physically get
Washington law (RCW 19.27.097) requires evidence of an adequate water supply before a building permit is issued. CDHD will not accept a septic application for a new home or ADU until water is verified.
If the parcel is served by a public water system (a city, PUD water system or an approved Group A/B system), the purveyor fills out CDHD's Public Water Availability Checklist or issues a "will serve" letter. Ask the seller or listing agent early which system serves the lot, what the hookup fees are, and whether a main actually reaches the property line.
If you'll rely on a private well, CDHD requires a Private Water Review. Per CDHD:
- A drilled well must meet a minimum of 400 gallons per day per connection.
- Yield is usually shown with the well log (typically an air-lift test at drilling). No log? A pump test per WAC 173-160-321 is required.
- Water samples for coliform bacteria and nitrates are required. High nitrate results can require a Notice to Title.
Practical tips:
- Look up existing well logs on Ecology's Well Report Viewer by parcel or section-township-range. Neighboring logs show typical depths and yields, which helps you budget drilling.
- Ask whether the well is shared. Shared wells should have a recorded well-sharing agreement covering maintenance, cost splits and access.
- Make your offer contingent on a satisfactory flow test and water quality test. Use a local lab; CDHD names Anatek Labs in Wenatchee as the primary local lab.
Step 2: Water you're legally allowed to use
Here's where Wenatchee Valley land differs from many places. Having water under the ground doesn't mean you have the right to use it.
The permit exemption. State law (RCW 90.44.050) lets small groundwater uses proceed without a water right permit: domestic use up to 5,000 gallons per day, non-commercial lawn/garden irrigation of a half acre or less, stock water, and industrial use up to 5,000 gpd. The limits apply to a project as a whole. A small subdivision sharing the exemption shares the 5,000 gpd and the half acre. (Ecology)
Basin rules can restrict it further. The Wenatchee basin (WRIA 45) has an instream flow rule (WAC 173-545). Where Ecology has found no water available, new or expanded exempt withdrawals can be limited unless they're covered by a reservation or mitigation.
Chelan County's Water Mitigation Program. Since April 1, 2021, a new residential building permit in the Wenatchee (WRIA 45), Entiat (WRIA 46) and Lake Chelan (WRIA 47) basins must show water is legally available. You do that with one of:
- A water right from Ecology,
- A letter from an approved water purveyor, or
- A Chelan County Water Mitigation Certificate.
A well, single or shared, without a permitted water right generally needs a mitigation certificate. Replacing an existing water use on the same parcel is exempt. Confirm current fees and certificate availability with Chelan County Natural Resources before you buy.
Irrigation and orchard ground. Many valley parcels carry irrigation district shares or surface-water rights from the orchard era. These are separate from domestic water. Ask for proof the right is current and transfers with the land, and check whether unused rights could be at risk of relinquishment. An unused water right can be lost after five years of non-use under state law, with exceptions. Bring in a water-rights attorney or consultant for anything over a typical home lot.
Step 3: Septic: can the ground take it?
Most rural parcels in Chelan and Douglas counties use an on-site septic system (OSS). CDHD's process, in order:
- Site and soil evaluation. A Licensed Designer or Professional Engineer digs test pits and evaluates soil. CDHD can provide the evaluation service, but not the test pits or the design. The results set the system type: gravity, pressure distribution, or alternative/advanced treatment. They also set the soil loading rate. Shallow soil, rock and steep slopes push you toward more expensive systems.
- Design. Prepared by a licensed designer or PE and submitted with the application through CDHD's online SmartGov portal.
- Water availability. A will-serve letter or Private Water Review must accompany the application.
- Review. CDHD says reviews typically take 2–3 weeks depending on workload. State law (RCW 70.05.074) requires review within 30 days.
- Permit and install. Permits issue only once a CDHD-designated licensed installer is named, and systems must be installed by licensed installers.
CDHD raised septic permit fees 12% effective January 19, 2026, its first adjustment since 2023 (CDHD Spring 2026 newsletter). Get current fees from CDHD rather than relying on old quotes.
Buying land with an existing, uninstalled septic permit? CDHD has a Change of Ownership application. It must be filed before the permit expires, with a labeled floor plan and a designated installer. Confirm the expiration date in your due diligence.
Buying property with an existing system? CDHD states that property transfers with an existing on-site system must have an inspection by an authorized third-party inspector, and the Health District verifies the report. CDHD has also said time-of-sale inspection requirements are being formalized, with an effective date targeted by February 2027. Ask your broker for the current requirement when you go under contract. Separately, state rule WAC 246-272A-0270 requires inspections by a licensed maintenance provider at least every three years for gravity systems, and annually for pressurized or advanced systems.
Other land due-diligence items
- Access and easements. Is there recorded legal access, not just a dirt road everyone uses? Who maintains it in winter?
- Power. Chelan County PUD serves the west side and Douglas County PUD the east. Ask for a line-extension estimate. Long runs can cost more than a well.
- Zoning, critical areas and shoreline. Steep slopes, wildlife areas and shoreline buffers along the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers can shrink your building envelope.
- Wildfire. Much valley acreage is in wildland-urban interface areas. Check defensible space requirements and insurance availability before you close.
- Survey and boundaries. Older orchard parcels often have fences that don't match deeds.
Sample offer contingencies for land
- Feasibility period long enough for a soil evaluation, often 30–60 days for raw land
- Satisfactory well flow test and water quality results, or a will-serve letter
- Confirmation of legal water availability (water right, purveyor letter or mitigation certificate)
- Review of title, easements, CC&Rs and survey
- Building permit pre-application meeting with the county
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a water right to drill a well for one house near Wenatchee?
Usually not a permit. Domestic use up to 5,000 gallons per day is permit-exempt under RCW 90.44.050. In Chelan County's Wenatchee, Entiat and Lake Chelan basins, though, a new residential building permit must show legal water availability. With a well and no water right, that usually means a Chelan County Water Mitigation Certificate.
How much water does a well need to produce?
Chelan-Douglas Health District requires a minimum of 400 gallons per day per connection, shown by a well log or a pump test. You also need passing coliform and nitrate tests.
Who issues septic permits in Chelan and Douglas counties?
Chelan-Douglas Health District. Applications are filed online through SmartGov with a licensed designer's soil evaluation and design, plus proof of water availability.
How long does a septic permit review take?
CDHD estimates 2–3 weeks depending on workload. State law requires review within 30 days.
Is a septic inspection required when I buy a home with septic?
CDHD states that transfers of properties with existing septic systems require an inspection by an authorized third-party inspector, verified by the district. Formal time-of-sale rules are targeted by February 2027. Confirm the current requirement at the time of your purchase.
Can I irrigate my whole acreage from a domestic well?
No. Exempt lawn and garden irrigation is limited to a half acre or less, and it's non-commercial. Larger irrigation needs a water right or irrigation district water.
Talk to a local land specialist
I specialize in residential and land sales across the Wenatchee Valley: Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Chelan, Manson, Malaga, Palisades, Orondo and Quincy. Call or text (509) 619-4200, or email SellingWenatchee@gmail.com.
Michelle McClausky, Broker | Selling Wenatchee LLC | AXEN Realty | Wenatchee, WA | (509) 619-4200
“Michelle was very professional and returned calls emails and texts in a timely manner. She made us feel like our purchase was very important to her even though it was a small dollar purchase. I will use her services again if I'm ever looking for real estate in the future.”