Overview: The City of Tacoma made system cleaning a standard procedure after end of pipe stormwater monitoring results showed significant improvement to contaminant levels after system cleaning occurs. Enhanced maintenance practices such as system cleaning and street sweeping have been demonstrated by Tacoma and Seattle, to be very cost-effective stormwater management tools.
What we are doing:
Tacoma will prioritize areas to receive enhanced maintenance according to system age, sediment levels and other factors so that the greatest amount of sediment and associated pollutants are collected and thus not allowed to enter the receiving waters. Approximately 100,000 linear feet of pipe will be
cleaned and inspected for a total of $350,000.
Why this issue is important:
Rain turns into stormwater runoff that takes with it all the pollutants it comes in contact with, such as yard chemicals, oil, grease, pet waste, street dirt and heavy metals. Stormwater flows untreated to the Puget Sound.
What you can do:
There are many ways that you can help to keep stormwater clean, including:
- reduce car trips,
- ride transit,
- report pollution,
- scoop poop,
- use car washes,
- use natural lawn care,
- use proper waste disposal
About the City of Tacoma Environmental Services:
We believe everything we do supports healthy neighborhoods and a thriving Puget Sound, leaving a better Tacoma for all. Environmental Services protects and restores natural resources through garbage and
recycling pickup, wastewater treatment, household hazardous waste disposal, protection from stormwater pollution and much more.
Did you know: The Stormwater Strategic Initiative brings together the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Washington State Stormwater Center, and the Washington State Department of Commerce to support local actions taken by cities, counties, and other jurisdictions throughout the state. The Enhanced Stormwater System Maintenance for Mitigation project highlights an approach to reduce the amount of stormwater contaminants before they hit Puget Sound’s waterways, thus preventing their detrimental effects of our marine ecosystems.