The Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) issues National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits to industries and municipalities, allowing them to release a certain amount of pollutants into Washington State’s waters.  The NPDES permit system was designed to set strict limits on the mass and concentration of discharged pollutants in order to protect water quality.  CHB staff consistently reviews new and active discharge permits filed in the South Puget Sound area and submits comment letters to the Washington State Department of Ecology, focusing especially in the following areas:

• Historical Compliance:  If a facility is consistently discharging pollutant levels beyond its permit limitations, there is a strong possibility that water quality standards will be violated at its point of discharge.

• Changes in effluent levels:  The goal of the Clean Water Act is to eliminate pollutants discharging into the waters of the state, thus with each new permit cycle effluent limitations for pollutants should become more stringent.

• Best Management Practices

• Mixing zones

• Point of Discharge:  The water quality at the point of discharge is also reviewed. CHB determines whether any Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) have been established and/or if the waterbody has been established as a 303 (d) listed waterbody for any of the discharged pollutants.

• Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs):  The DMRs for the facility are reviewed for compliance and violation history. These reports are located at the Southwest Regional offices for the DOE.

The recent State of the Sound Report and the establishment of the Puget Sound Partnership send a strong message regarding the serious problem of pollutants entering Puget Sound and the negative effects these pollutants are having on our aquatic environment.  While most of the pollutants entering the Sound are generated from non-point sources, cumulative pollutant loads from point source discharges remain an ongoing threat to water quality where they enter our streams, rivers and bays.  Unlike non-point source pollution, these facilities can be strictly monitored and regulated.  As the enforcing agency, the Washington State Department of Ecology is mandated to send a strong message to these facilities.

CHB takes a leading role in reviewing and commenting on discharge permits because it believes this provides balance to the system.  The DOE consistently receives pressure from the discharging facilities to reduce the limitations placed upon them.  Ongoing attention placed on NPDES permits by Citizens for a Healthy Bay and other groups helps the Department of Ecology maintain its focus on keeping our waters clean.