The Puget Sound Strategic Initiatives are seeking input from wastewater practitioners and the community to develop future investment priorities for improving wastewater treatment in Puget Sound. We are collecting recommendations now through online feedback and in two upcoming workshops in August and September. Read on to participate in this process! 

Puget Sound is facing a number of challenges related to wastewater management that directly impact water quality, from toxics and nutrient pollution to combined sewer overflows and unmaintained onsite sewage systems. By improving wastewater management, we're protecting the assets we value: our opportunities for recreation, our food sources, tribal treaty rights, and the sustainable future of our region.  

 What types of recommendations are being considered?  

The Stormwater SIL is seeking your recommendations on how to improve wastewater management in Puget Sound and is interested in improving all aspects of the wastewater lifecycle – from source control to disposition. We anticipate that recommendations will fall under, but are not limited to, the following categories:  

• Policy & Regulation: Suggestions for changes or new initiatives in policies, rules, and regulations at the state level, to improve wastewater treatment. 
• Science & Monitoring: Recommendations for new or expanded research and monitoring activities that can help in the development of more effective wastewater management strategies and practices in our region. 
• Scaling or Piloting Efforts: Ideas for innovative wastewater treatment methods or technologies suitable for pilot testing in our area, as well as strategies for broadening the application of proven technologies or practices within Puget Sound region. 
• Communications and Outreach Activities: Suggestions for communication and outreach activities that are needed to raise awareness, educate, and engage on wastewater management in the region.  

How can you provide input?  

There are three ways you can provide input on this process, and you are welcome to participate in one or all:  

• Online Feedback: Any time before August 14, 2023, visit our page to review the existing list of recommendations, add new recommendations, vote on your top priorities, and leave comments for our team. For a tutorial on using this system to add your input, watch our short video.  
• Onsite Sewage Systems (OSS) Workshop 8/24 1:00-4:00pm PT: Onsite systems play an important role in water quality here in Puget Sound. In this workshop, we will be discussing OSS-specific needs and recommendations. Click here to register for this virtual workshop.  
• Centralized Wastewater Treatment Workshop 9/12 1:00-4:00pm PT: In this workshop, we will be seeking input from the community on the most important activities that we can fund to help improve wastewater management in Puget Sound across the entire wastewater lifecycle. Click here to register for this virtual workshop. 

Did you know?

The wastewater cycle is the journey that water takes from our homes and businesses back to nature. For the purposes of this effort, we have organized the wastewater cycle into four distinct phases: source control, collection, treatment, and post-treatment.