Frequently Asked Questions

In most areas of Port Angeles stormwater is collected in catch basins located in paved areas. Stormwater flows from the catch basins into underground pipes that carry it to a nearby body of water, such as a creek or the harbor.

Stormwater is also transported in roadside ditches or culverts, and in some areas may enter the combined sewer system and be transported to the wastewater treatment plant.

The city is developing a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to address the requirements of the NPDES permit.

The city must meet six minimum control measures:

• Construction site runoff control
• Illicit (illegal) discharge detection and elimination
• Pollution prevention / good housekeeping
• Post-construction runoff control
• Public Education and Outreach
• Public participation / involvement

The city also implements projects designed to reduce flooding and improve stormwater collection within the city.

Stormwater rates are used to maintain and replace 65 miles of pipe and 2,600 catch basins, build new capital projects to improve conveyance and water quality and manage the Ecology Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit. This Phase II permit and its program elements are a state and federal requirement. Permit elements includes public education and outreach, pollution prevention and elimination, controlling runoff from new development and maintaining existing Stormwater infrastructure. A revised Phase II permit went into place August 2013 which has increased requirements and City costs. The current Stormwater fee is $16.87 a month per equivalent residential unit. The City is making every effort to minimize rate increases by working with other jurisdictions on similar permit program elements and applying for grant funding.

The City’s goal is to reduce and potentially eliminate water pollution in the storm drain system that flows to the creeks and Harbor. The illicit discharge detection and elimination program is a permit requirement with a goal of educating residents to be aware of how daily actions can have an impact on environmental health. Enforcement actions are used as a last resort as required by state law. A source control approach to limit water pollution before it reaches the Stormwater system and our creeks is a far more cost effective approach than large end of pipe treatment options. Chemicals such as soap, paint and oil, even in small qualities have a negative impact on fish and water quality. The City contracts with Streamkeepers of Clallam County to perform water quality sampling to measure and trace down chemicals in the stormwater system. The most cost effective approach is keeping pollution from mixing with stormwater.

The City programs promoting rain gardens and other LID techniques are complementary to the goals of the CSO combined sewer project. The Green Infrastructure Rebate program will improve water quality in our creeks and harbor and add some detention time into the Stormwater system. However because poor draining soils are very common in Port Angeles most stormwater will still run into the system. This emphasizes the need to disconnect stormwater sources from the CSO system. When possible stormwater systems will continue to be disconnected from the combined sewer but the CSO project is still the most immediate and cost effective way to reduce CSO events.