Washington Stormwater Center
Urban stormwater run-off causes contaminants and topsoil to be washed into Puget Sound. Builders of new construction and renovation projects must obtain permits detailing how they will deal with stormwater run-off, such as including retention ponds and water treatments into their plans. And soon the state of Washington will require local governments to further toughen regulatory standards for stormwater abatement.
In 2009, the state Legislature created the Washington Stormwater Center and funded it with a $1 million Washington Department of Ecology grant to the City of Puyallup, the University of Washington Tacoma, and the Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center. Co-housed at the Center for Urban Waters and the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center, the new center will help advance stormwater efforts on several fronts.
The Washington Stormwater Center is charged with:
- reviewing and evaluating new stormwater technologies
- researching and developing cost-effective technical solutions
- testing technical solutions
- gathering and sharing information
- assisting in the development of stormwater control methods
- coordinating with federal, state and local agencies and private organizations
New ideas for treating and dealing with stormwater must be certified by the state before they can be used. One of the center's jobs will be to check into these new technologies and see how well they work, then make recommendations to the Department of Ecology about whether to certify them.
"This is an economic development opportunity," Joel Baker, science director for Urban Waters, said. "Right now, many existing technologies for stormwater run-off treatment are owned by out-of-state companies. By certifying emerging technologies that meet Washington's very rigorous standards, we'll invite in-state companies to work on new ideas and encourage outside companies to move here."
