New storm water permit targets Eastern WA

OLYMPIA - Managing urban runoff in eastern Washington to reduce pollution to lakes, rivers and streams is the focus of a new, updated permit issued by the state Department of Ecology.

The new municipal storm water permit will require the most populated areas of eastern Washington to step up actions to control polluted runoff beginning in August 2014.

The permits phase in requirements to employ "low impact development" (LID) techniques. LID uses vegetation and soil to naturally filter rain water and snowmelt that otherwise carries pollution across hard surfaces and down storm drains into rivers and waterways.

The permit gives local governments until the end of 2017 to implement LID practices in eastern Washington and the flexibility to tailor the practices to local conditions.

Ecology expects $1 million in state funding to develop and provide LID training each year for the next 5 years.

The new eastern Washington permit will also require communities to monitor for how effective their programs are.

The eastern Washington municipal storm water permit covers 18 cities and the urban areas of six counties.

- Staff report