Tacoma and Pierce County are two of the latest governments that have joined a regional campaign aimed to clean up Puget Sound.
Launched in September, Puget Sound Starts Here is a coalition of more than 300 organizations, including cities and counties, environmental and stewardship groups, businesses and universities that are providing public education workshops and incentives to stop chemicals from entering Puget Sound. The main pillar of the campaign is to educate residents about making small, environmentally friendly changes in their everyday behaviors.
The city of Tacoma Surface Water Management Division has already begun implementing changes based on the campaign’s mission. The city maintains more than 500 miles of public stormwater pipe, approximately 22,000 catch basins, four pump stations and numerous detention ponds and structures. The division has been concentrating efforts on preventing pollution before it reaches local waterways and restoring sites already affected by industry and urbanization.
“Part of the city of Tacoma’s involvement with the Puget Sound Starts Here campaign is quite practical,” said Alicia Lawver, community relations professional for the city.
The city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the state Department of Ecology mandates that the city provide public education regarding surface water-related best management practices.
“This is basically all the things that we ask businesses and individuals to do in order to be good stewards of our local waterways,” Lawver added.
Through partnerships with cities such as Tacoma, the campaign’s organizers can educate the public on the four target behaviors of waterway pollution. They are car wash run off, automobile oil leaks, use of fertilizers or pesticides and pet waste.
Each of the behaviors addressed in the campaign support the message that the Sound’s problems start in our own backyards. Water from washing the car in a driveway or street carries oil, zinc, lead, copper and soap into storm drains that empty into rivers and streams, ultimately leading to Puget Sound.
Stormwater runoff occurs when rainwater is not absorbed into the ground. It picks up oil from car leaks, toxic yard chemicals from pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, along with bacteria from pet waste. These harmful substances are also washed down storm drains.
A common public misconception is that storm drain water is treated before entering major outlets. This in not true. In fact, the Department of Ecology’s 2008 Washington State Water Quality Assessment reported 549 rivers, streams and lakes throughout the region suffer from poor water quality as a result of runoff pollution. Furthermore, Ecology estimates that 75 percent of the 140,000 pounds of toxic chemicals entering the Sound each day are carried by stormwater runoff.
“Keeping pollutants out of our local waterways is a big part of what the city’s Surface Water Management utility is all about,” Lawver said. “By teaming up with other Puget Sound area jurisdictions on this common goal, we’re able to reach a bigger audience and make a bigger impact with fewer dollars and most importantly, reduce the amount of pollution that makes its way into local lakes, streams, rivers and Puget Sound.”
For more information about money-saving offers associated with the Puget Sound Starts Here campaign and other ways to become involved, visit www.pugetsoundstartshere.org.
