"Public health need" means that a situation exists that causes or is about to cause a real, documented, acute public health need related to the state's air, water, or soil that contributes to injuries or deaths on public highways, or risk of a public health emergency due to contaminated domestic water, the failure of a sanitary sewer system, storm sewer system, or solid waste or recycling system; and the problem generally involves a discrete area including, but not limited to, a county, city, subdivision, or an area serviced by on-site wastewater disposal systems.

In determining whether a project is necessary to address a public health need, the board shall consider the following factors:

(1) For bridge or road projects - Whether injury or fatal injury motor or nonmotorized vehicle traffic collisions at a specific site, roadway control section, or area have occurred at a rate to be in the top five percent of all such collisions within the applicant jurisdiction for the most recent three-year period; and whether the proposed public works project will eliminate or reduce the likelihood of such vehicle collisions. Applicants applying under this subsection may utilize jurisdiction-wide accident data, or break the data down into arterial or nonarterial roads, intersection or nonintersection, and for intersections, whether they are signalized or nonsignalized.

(2) For domestic water projects - Whether a drinking water system regulated by the department of health has been contaminated or is in imminent danger of being contaminated to the extent of creating a public health risk and; whether the proposed public works project will eliminate or reduce the chance of contamination.

(3) For sanitary sewer projects - Whether failure of existing wastewater system or systems, including on-site systems, has resulted in contamination being present on the surface of the ground in such quantities and locations so as to create a potential for public contact; or whether contamination of a commercial or recreational shellfish bed so as to create a public health risk associated with the consumption of the shellfish, or contamination of surface water so as to create a public health risk associated with recreational use; and whether the proposed public works project will eliminate or reduce the danger of such public health risk.

(4) For storm sewer projects - Whether failure of an existing storm sewer system has caused or is in imminent danger of causing localized flooding which disrupts critical public services; causes disease, illness, or attraction of rodents so as to create a public health risk; or contamination of a commercial or recreational shellfish bed so as to create a public health risk associated with the consumption of the shellfish, or contamination of surface water so as to create a public health risk associated with recreational use and; whether the proposed public works project will eliminate or reduce the danger of localized flooding which disrupts critical public services or causes a public health risk.

(5) For solid waste or recycling projects - Whether failure of an existing solid waste or recycling system has caused or is in danger of causing groundwater contamination; causes disease, illness, or attraction of rodents so as to create a public health risk and; whether the proposed public works project will eliminate or reduce the danger of such public health risk.

(6) For all projects - Whether more efficient operation of an existing system, changing public access, or modifying other regulatory standards (e.g., reduced speed limits, water conservation measures, rodent control, restricted shellfish harvesting) is likely to provide the same or similar level of resolution.

(7) For all projects - Whether the public health problem is caused by failure to maintain or periodically replace, reconstruct, or rehabilitate a public works system.

(8) For all projects - Other factors the board finds on the record are significant in light of facts and circumstances unique to the project.

(9) The factors enumerated in subsection (1) of this section must be addressed in a letter of request, with supporting documentation, addressed to the chair of the board and signed by the public official who signed the application for financial assistance.

(10) The factors enumerated in subsections (2) through (5) of this section must be addressed in a letter of request, with supporting documentation, addressed to the secretary of the Washington state department of health and signed by the public official who signed the application for financial assistance. A determination of a public health need may be made by the secretary, or designee, and addressed to the same public official. The board will consider the determination of the secretary. The board will also consider information presented on factors enumerated in subsections (6) through (8) of this section, which must be documented in a manner acceptable to the board.