Implement Hirst decision to allocate state’s water rights cautiously and fairly

THERE is a great deal of frustration these days surrounding water policy in Washington. You may have heard the rallying cries to “fix Hirst,” as developers, Realtors and banks called for a state Supreme Court decision to be overturned. In fact, the push to upend the case, Whatcom County v. Hirst, ultimately prevented the passage of a bipartisan-supported $4 billion capital budget that would have funded schools and other universally supported projects.

Overturning Hirst would be a shortsighted fix causing lasting damage to the region, especially since the court’s ruling protects everybody’s access to water.