News Items

2012 Draft Municipal Stormwater General Permit Comment Period

The public comment period for the 2012 Draft Municipal Stormwater General Permit Comment period is open. For more information, please go to the Department of Ecology's site.

Two new videos

Channel 5 Cable News has released two new videos regarding how to prevent clogs to the sewer collection system.

• FOG: Fats, Oils, and Grease
• Will it flush?

Spokane wins EPA PISCES award for innovative stormwater project

On June 28th, 2011 the City of Spokane received a PISCES award from the United States Environmental Protection agency for demonstrating an innovative stormwater control on West Broadway Avenue in Spokane, Washington. For more information on the SURGE project, go here. Here is the EPA news release. Below is a video of the ceremony.

Congratulations to the winner of the manhole design contest!

The Spokane Arts Commission and the City of Spokane Wastewater Management Department congratulate Clair Mattes, a seventh grader at Shaw Middle School. Claire is the winner of the student-designed manhole cover contest that will supply covers to be used in scheduled maintenance repairs throughout the City of Spokane.

Claire’s manhole cover design was selected from over 600 entries by members of the staff of Wastewater Management, Spokane Arts Commission, and community representatives and will be cast and used starting this summer. The selected artist will receive $100 and an appreciation that her design on manhole covers replaced this summer throughout the City of Spokane will last for many years to come. A photo of the winning design is below!

New Curb Marker Installed at City Hall

Wastewater Management is in the process of installing curb markers near catch basins that drain to the river. The first of these markers was installed on the north curb of Spokane Falls Blvd. near City Hall. The markers are an effort to inform the public that many of the stormwater drainage structures in the city drain directly to the aquifer or local bodies of water. This is all part of an ongoing program to help keep our aquafir and local waters as clean as possible. To view any of the pictures below simply click on the thumbnail.

New Ordinances

The City of Spokane is in the process of adopting two ordinances that will be incorporated into our Stormwater Management Program. The driving force behind the adoption is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Eastern Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit. In 2007, the City was issued this permit by the Washington State Department of Ecology. Coordination among three departments began over a year ago to complete such a task. To complete this task the City is updating an existing ordinance Title 17D chapter 17D.060- Stormwater Facilities, and adding a new chapter 17D.090- Erosion and Sediment Control. Both ordinances have been presented to the Public Works Committee and the Planning Commission. Next, we will present the ordinances to the City Council for adoption. Both ordinances will be effective 30 days after adoption.

Construction Season is right around the corner

Construction will soon begin around the City. Before construction begins, take a minute to review the Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual and make sure that you’ve applied for all City permits you’ll need this season; for more information about the Manual click here. For more information about City permits click here for the Building Department and click here for the Planning Department.
Also, you may need additional permits from the Deptartment of Ecology if stormwater runoff will discharge into a storm sewer system that drains into state surface waters; or discharges into state surface waters directly, visit www.ecy.wa.gov for details.

Combined Sewer Overflows - CSOs

In 2008 Wastewater Management coordinated with the City's Cable 5 to create a video about CSOs. Do you know what CSOs are? Do you know the purpose of CSOs? If you answered no, than click on the link below. Enjoy!!
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO)

What do water sports and other outdoor activities associated with water have in common? Water.

Water is a basic requirement for both fun activities and work. Unfortunately when water is used for cleaning it becomes contaminated with dirt, detergents and cleaners used to liberate debris that accumulated during winter months. Contaminated water needs to be disposed properly in a sanitary sewer. While dirt and debris can be efficiently removed at a treatment facility or on site sewage system, some detergents and cleaners contain Phosphorus. Phosphorus can be removed at treatment plants but it takes special processes and many less sophisticated onsite systems do not remove Phosphorus.

Did you know the Spokane region has a Phosphorus ban in place?

New cleaning technologies and substitutes that cleaned as well as Phosphorus allowed Washington State and communities along the Spokane River to implement Phosphorus bans in 1990. These bans restricted the amount of Phosphorus in laundry detergents to 0.5%. You can help by reading the label on detergents you purchase and using products that comply with the requirements of the Phosphorus ban. To learn more about phosphorus view this video clip from Channel 5 News. Phosphorus ban video

What is the City of Spokane doing to help control Phosphorus loading?

The City of Spokane uses Aluminum Sulfate (Alum) to reduce the amount of Phosphorus its treatment plant discharges to the river during the potential algae growing season in Long Lake (Lake Spokane). Phosphorus removal at the plant is initiated based on the amount of snow in the mountains that drain water into the Spokane River, the larger the snow pack the later Phosphorus removal begins. About 90% of Phosphorus entering the plant is removed in the plant to prevent it from entering the river and growing algae in the lake. The City of Spokane also works in cooperation with other entities discharging to the Spokane River to control the total amount of Phosphorus entering the lake.

Tim Pelton
SAWTP Superintendent

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