The Vancouver, Wash., city council recently approved tougher controls that will require some developers to spend more to prevent storm water runoff, The Columbian reported.
The Washington State Department of Ecology has stated that polluted runoff is "the state’s biggest urban water quality threat," the newspaper reported.
Greg Winters, the Ecology Department’s municipal storm water permit manager in Vancouver, said that although there is no formal review process in place, "I would have no problem approving their ordinances."
At the meeting, Joyce Namba told the city council that, according to an Ecology Department report, storm water carries 6.3 million to 8 million gal of petroleum into Puget Sound every year.
Leslie Zega urged the city to adopt tougher controls and comply with state requirements.
"It’s very simple," Zega said. "Just follow the rules."
According to the new rules, newly developed parcels will be required to drain as efficiently as they did before European settlement.
About 20% of development projects will be impacted by the new flow control standard, according to city estimates. The rest either have soils that allow runoff to filter into the ground or can receive an exemption because they drain into a large water body.
The new rules could require builders to build larger storm water ponds or use low-impact development techniques to control runoff, the paper reported.
The city still must develop "general requirements" that will provide technical guidance. The city hopes to create a "living" document, with ongoing review by local engineers, and that can be updated without approval from the city council to allow the flexibility to incorporate new techniques, according to the paper.
The development could lead to disputes over the city’s interpretation and enforcement of storm water requirements.
According to County Commissioner Steve Stuart, the county is working with state officials to gain approval for its alternative storm water approach.
