Puget Sound in Washington State has a long-standing problem with pollution. According to the Washington Environmental Council, around 14 million pounds of toxic waste enters its waters every year. Nobody wants to see Puget Sound, the state’s maritime gateway to economic coastal hubs, decidedly unsound; that’s why four companies have recently been fined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for aggravating the problem, according to Michelle Esteban of Komo News.
The EPA slapped a total of $847,000 in fines on an auto works facility, a waste management company, a construction firm, and a cement manufacturer for polluted stormwater runoff. Most of their collective runoff is sent to Duwamish River, which is already heavily polluted, according to local green advocates. If Puget Sound is to have any hope of being a wildlife sanctuary again, it has to start with the communities living on the coastline; To that end, more than one good stormwater BMP (best management practice) should be a requirement for running any business.
Typical stormwater BMPs include stormwater retention and detention, which the standard management systems from Hydrologic Solutions, Inc. can provide. Retention and detention in stormwater management are two unique processes. Detention helps draw stormwater to the basin to prevent flooding (a perennial problem around Puget Sound). Meanwhile, retention keeps a permanent supply of stormwater for residential or commercial reuse.
These simple concepts help keep a large amount of stormwater from aggravating the pollution issue in vital waterways. Cleaning trucks with vacuum nozzles can regularly remove the filth left in the storm barrels by the detention and retention process.
The EPA is pushing for a stricter enforcement of proper stormwater management, given that almost half of the bodies of water in the U.S. are too polluted to use. Puget Sound is one of many water pollution issues plaguing the country. The road to recovery must start with best management practices aimed towards helping provide the next generation with cleaner water.
