Policies - Western WA Municipal Stormwater Permit

The Washington State Department of Ecology (WDOE) issued the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit in January of 2007. Now, five counties and 81 cities in Western Washington, including the City of Olympia, must follow the guidelines in this Permit to manage stormwater before it discharges to surface and groundwater.

The Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit stems from the federal Clean Water Act and shares its intent to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of our nation's waters. It combines requirements from the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Permit program and the State of Washington Water Pollution Control Law (RCW 90.48).

Permit Guidelines:

Olympia is committed to its water resources and we are working hard to comply with the Permit across all City programs.

Required Actions:

Permit requirements fall under five basic categories; public education and outreach, public involvement and participation, illicit discharge detection and elimination, the control of runoff from development, and pollution prevention. Click on the links above to learn more about the five basic categories.

Annual Updates:

The Permit also requires annual updates. The two specific updates for the Storm & Surface Water Utility include:

1. NPDES Stormwater Management Program Plan: The Permit requires development and documentation of a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP). Documentation of this program must be organized like the Permit and updated annually. Download our printer-friendly 2010 Stormwater Management Program Plan (PDF).
2. Annual Report: The Permit requires completion and submittal of an Annual Report to document how the City is complying with each section of the Permit. Download our printer-friendly 2009 Annual Permit Report.

For general information on the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit visit the Washington State Department of Ecology website.

Contact Us:

We value your input and want to respond to your questions and concerns. You may contact us by telephone, e-mail, or mail.

Staff Contact: Laura Keehan, 360.753.8321.
Mailing Address: City of Olympia Public Works
Attn: Andy Haub
P.O. Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507-1967