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Who is Responsible for Maintaining Stormwater Facilities?

All stormwater facilities need to be maintained. Regular maintenance ensures proper functioning and keeps the facility visually appealing. This Stormwater Facility Maintenance Guide was designed to help explain how stormwater facilities work and provide user-friendly, straightforward guidance on how to maintain them. As a homeowner or homeowner’s association, you are responsible for regularly maintaining privately owned ponds, catch basins, pipes and other drainage facilities within your subdivision. Local governments maintain stormwater facilities located in public right-of-ways.  The City has developed a maintenance guide to help you assess the various needs of the stormwater system.

What is a Storm Drain System and how does it work?

The storm drain system for most developments includes components that carry, store, cleanse, and release the stormwater. These components work together to reduce the impacts of development on the environment. These impacts can include flooding which results in property damage and blocked emergency routes, erosion which can cause damage to salmon spawning habitat, and pollution which harms fish and/or drinking water supplies. The storm drain system provides a safe method to carry stormwater to the treatment and storage areas. Swales and ponds filter pollutants from the stormwater by physically settling out particles, chemically binding pollutants to pond sediments, and biologically converting pollutants to less-harmful compounds. The ponds also store the treated water, releasing it gradually to a nearby stream or to groundwater. The various components of storm drain systems are described in the glossary.

What does Stormwater Runoff have to do with Water Quality?

Stormwater runoff needs to be treated because it carries litter, oil, gasoline, fertilizers, pesticides, pet wastes, sediments, and anything else that can float, dissolve, or be swept along by the moving water. Left untreated, polluted stormwater can reach nearby waterways where it can harm and even kill aquatic life. It can also pollute groundwater to the extent that it must be treated before it can be used for drinking, which has actually happened in Pierce County. Nationally, stormwater is recognized as a major threat to water quality. Remember to keep everything out of stormwater systems except the rainwater they are designed to collect. Your Stormwater Facility Stormwater facilities can be attractive as well as functional. They can provide both active and passive-use recreation areas and open space for wildlife. Perhaps you’ve noticed a wet or dry pond in your neighborhood. These different types of ponds are designed for different purposes. For example, wet ponds primarily provide treatment of stormwater. They also provide good cover and habitat for birds and small mammals, making them fine “wildlife preserves”. Dry ponds or infiltration ponds are designed to provide storage for stormwater and gradually release it downstream or allow it to filter into the ground. These types of ponds can be maintained as grassy play areas, and may even be modified to house more formal play equipment.

Does the City offer any guidance on maintenance practices?

Yes, the City will provide any commercial or residential development technical assistance for FREE!  Site visits generally take up to one hour and will comprehensively evaluate your storm facilities, including vegetation management, hazardous material assessment, structural integrity, and more!  To schedule a technical assistance site visit, please call Dan Smith at (360) 754-4140 or send an e-mail.