In an “area of limited water resources” Sequim city officials are looking at storm and surface water as a resource growing in importance and use.

“The City has come to recognize that stormwater should be treated as an important resource rather than a liability,” according to the newly adopted Storm and Surface Water Master Plan.

Bringing the planning process to a close and kick-starting implementation of strategic water management, the Sequim City Council unanimously approved the city’s first Storm and Surface Water Master Plan on Monday, April 11. Councilor John Miller was absent.

The plan identifies ways to control runoff and reduce pollution threatening water quality, including Bell Creek, Johnson Creek and Gierin Creek, which are the main drainage basins encompassed by the city and listed as “impaired” waterbodies by the Washington State Department of Ecology.

The plan also guides the actions necessary to protect habitat, prepare for population growth, climate change and enhance relationships with water management partners and neighboring entities.

“It gets us in front of the increase in runoff with population growth and more intensive storm events,” Ann Soule, City of Sequim stormwater stewardship resource manager, said in a previous interview about the plan.

With the plan adopted, city staff initially will enact the storm and surface water management goals listed in the first (Tier A) of three tiers outlined by the plan and bring the city up to today’s stormwater requirements. To do so, staff will rely on existing resources from secured grants and both the Sewer and Water Utility Funds.

“There will be no additional tax, no additional stormwater utility and no additional rate increase to fund the portions of the plan that we intend to work on in the next three years and those are the portions that are currently mandated by law, so we feel that it’s a very important thing to do,” David Garlington, City of Sequim public works director, said.

Including the cost of capital improvement projects, such as the installation of an outfall pipe, a stormwater storage facility and the redirection of stormwater to bio-retention cells, funding for Tier A is estimated at $719,500.

To supplement the stormwater budget and ensure progress of capital improvement projects, staff intend to seek grants, Garlington said. Already a DOE grant is slated to initiate an inspection program and the construction of two capital improvement projects in early 2017.

“I was impressed with the effort staff made getting money to look into things in addition to coming up with a plan that we don’t have to pay anymore to get all these things done,” Councilor Bob Lake said. “This was a very, very efficient use of our public money.”

It’s hoped by taking proactive steps toward water management now it will lessen the likelihood of DOE requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit.

“Sequim currently doesn’t have a DOE permit for stormwater discharge and we don’t want to have a permit,” Garlington said. “A permit is a very onerous undertaking.”

Adoption and action of the Storm and Surface Water Master Plan is reflective of city officials’ interest in stormwater management, Garlington said.

“As long as we can continue to show them (DOE) we’re making progress on stormwater issues I think we stand a very good chance of avoiding becoming a permitted city and having to follow the regulations … that’s something we’re trying mildly to avoid,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Ted Miller noted his skepticism of the “need” for a stormwater plan, but said “with some reluctance I support the plan.”

“Restricting to the Tier A requirements as the plan does is probably the best way to go,” he said. “I am glad Tier B and Tier C aren’t being funded at this time and I hope that they won’t be for time.”

The Storm and Surface Water Master plan was developed throughout the past two years by Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc., in collaboration with City of Sequim staff.

For more information about the plan, call 582-5710 or email waterinfo@sequimwa.gov.

View the plan at www.sequimwa.gov/index.aspx?nid=682.