The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a Federal permit program that regulates the discharge of stormwater and wastewater to waters of the State. In Washington State, the Department of Ecology implements the NPDES program on behalf of the Federal government. The intent of the program is to reduce or eliminate water quality problems in our streams, rivers and lakes by controlling pollution at its source. Stormwater is a significant source of pollution in Puget Sound, and municipal stormwater systems are one of the main ways in which stormwater is discharged to water bodies.
The Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit was re-issued on August 1, 2013, and will be in effect until July 31, 2019. This permit authorizes the City of Kirkland to discharge stormwater from its municipal system into waters of the State (i.e. Lake Washington) if the city takes certain actions to prevent stormwater pollution. The full permit can be viewed at Ecology’s website: NPDES Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit
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The permit requires the City to take action in each of the following areas:
- Public education and outreach
- Public involvement and participation
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Controlling stormwater run-off from construction sites
- Operations and maintenance of stormwater facilities after construction
Planned actions are documented each year in a Stormwater Management Program: 2018 Stormwater Management Program (PDF)
The document listed below has been prepared as part of Kirkland’s compliance with the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit: