Title 90, WATER RIGHTS—ENVIRONMENT

A permit, certification, or other approval required by the department for a watershed restoration project as defined in RCW 89.08.460 shall be processed in compliance with RCW 89.08.450 through 89.08.510. Public review of proposed watershed restoration projects may be shortened o…

(1) The director shall issue or approve water quality permits for use by federal, state, or local governmental agencies and licensed applicators for the purpose of using, for aquatic noxious weed control, herbicides and surfactants registered under state or federal pesticide cont…

(1) The department of ecology shall update the final supplemental environmental impact statement completed in 1992 for the aquatic plant management program to reflect new information on herbicides evaluated in 1992 and new, commercially available herbicides. The department shall …

(1) Subject to restrictions in this section, a government entity seeking to control a limited infestation of Eurasian water milfoil may use the pesticide 2,4-D to treat the milfoil infestation, without obtaining a permit under RCW 90.48.445, if the milfoil infestation is either r…

(1) Prior to issuing a notice of violation related to discharges from agricultural activity on agricultural land, the department shall consider whether an enforcement action would contribute to the conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural uses. Any enforcement action sh…

(1) The department may require each pulp mill and paper mill discharging chlorinated organics to conduct and submit an engineering report on the cost of installing technology designed to reduce the amount of chlorinated organic compounds discharged into the waters of the state. T…

(1) The department shall establish fees to collect expenses for issuing and administering each class of permits under RCW 90.48.160, 90.48.162, and 90.48.260. An initial fee schedule shall be established by rule and be adjusted no more often than once every two years. This fee sc…

Beginning in 2025, the department of ecology's biennial progress report required in RCW 90.48.465(7) must include information on the implementation of a revised fee structure for full cost recovery for municipal wastewater discharge permits and the use of the fees to administer t…

The department of ecology shall work with local governments to develop reasonable plans and compliance schedules for the greatest reasonable reduction of combined sewer overflows. The plan shall address various options, including construction of storage tanks for sewage and separ…

Plans for upgrading sewage treatment facilities and plans for new sewage treatment facilities shall address the greatest reasonable reduction of combined sewer overflows and implementation of pretreatment standards. [ 1985 c 249 s 3.]

The department of ecology shall require sewer plans to include a discussion of water conservation measures considered or underway that would reduce flows to the sewerage system and an analysis of their anticipated impact on public sewer service and treatment capacity. [ 2003 1st …

In order to improve water quality by controlling toxicants in wastewater, the department of ecology shall in issuing and renewing state and federal wastewater discharge permits review the applicant's operations and incorporate permit conditions which require all known, available,…

(1) In order to ensure that construction projects involving the use of fill material do not pose a threat to water quality, the department may require that the suitability of potential fill material be evaluated using a leaching test included in the soil clean-up rules adopted by…

The department shall identify the leaching tests utilized for evaluating the potential impacts to water quality in situations where fill material is imported. The tests may include those identified in the soil clean-up rules adopted by the department under chapter 70A.305 RCW. Wi…

(1) The department, as resources allow, shall at the request of the United States bureau of reclamation or federal reclamation project irrigation districts cooperatively conduct a use attainability analysis of water bodies located within the boundaries of the federal reclamation …

(1) As funding to do so becomes available, the department shall create a stormwater technical resource center in partnership with a university, nonprofit organization, or other public or private entity to provide tools for stormwater management. The center shall use its authority…

(1) The legislature finds that: (a) The proper collection and review of credible water quality data is necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.); (b) The state needs to assemble and evaluate all existing and …

The definitions in this section apply to RCW 90.48.580 and 90.48.585 unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Credible data" means data meeting the requirements of RCW 90.48.585. (2) "Department" means the Washington state department of ecology. (3) "Impaired water" me…

(1) The department shall use credible information and literature for developing and reviewing a surface water quality standard or technical model used to establish a total maximum daily load for any surface water of the state. (2) The department shall use credible data for the fo…

(1) In collecting and analyzing water quality data for any purpose identified in RCW 90.48.580(2), data is considered credible data if: (a) Appropriate quality assurance and quality control procedures were followed and documented in collecting and analyzing water quality samples;…

Any person who knowingly falsifies data is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. [ 2004 c 228 s 5.]

The department shall offer financial and technical assistance to local governments and tribal entities in Puget Sound counties to establish or expand on-site sewage disposal system repair and replacement through local loan and grant programs. The programs must give priority to lo…

The department shall amend the state water quality standards to authorize compliance schedules in excess of ten years for discharge permits issued under this chapter that implement allocations contained in a total maximum daily load under certain circumstances. Any such amendment…

(1) A discharge to waters of the state from a motorized or gravity siphon aquatic mining operation is subject to the department's authority under this chapter and the federal clean water act. The department shall evaluate whether the number of dischargers subject to this section …

In determining restitution following a criminal conviction under this chapter or chapter 90.56 RCW, the court is authorized to order restitution for harm to natural resources or the environment. [ 2024 c 342 s 1.]

The definitions in this section apply to RCW 90.48.636 unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Combined sewer" means a sewer that has been designed to serve as a sanitary sewer and a storm sewer, and into which inflow is allowed by local ordinance. (2) "Sewage spill" …

(1) By July 1, 2026, the department must develop and publish a public-facing website that includes, but is not limited to, notices of the locations where sewage spills occur that are reported to the department under individual water quality permits for discharges that contain sew…

This 1971 amendatory act may be cited as the "Coastal Waters Protection Act of 1971". [ 1971 ex.s. c 180 s 13.]