The City established the surface water utility in 1992 with the primary purpose of creating a funding method to provide financing for planning, development, management, operation, maintenance, use, and alteration of the surface water management system in the drainage basins of the City in order to maintain their hydrologic balance, minimize property damage, promote and protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the community, minimize water quality degradation by preventing siltation and erosion of the City’s waterways, ensure the safety of the City streets and rights-of-way, increase educational and recreational opportunities, encourage the retention of open spaces and foster any other beneficial public use.
Since its inception, the system has been developed and enlarged and as a result has completed several “large” significant stormwater drainage projects that have ultimately aided in reducing seasonal flooding in large parts of the city. In recent years, the program has come under increased pressure from the State Department of Ecology (DOE) because of falling under the DOE’s Phase II NPDES Stormwater Permit and all the “systematic” increases in regulations that have resulted from such.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit is a federal permit that regulates stormwater and wastewater discharges to waters of the State. While it is a federal permit, the regulatory authority was delegated to the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). In response, Ecology developed and issued the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit. The Permit was issued by Ecology on January 17, 2007, 2013, 2019. The current permit was issued August 1, 2024 and will be in effect until July 31, 2029. It is the intent of this SWMP to recognize the current permit requirements and to plan for these requirements where appropriate.