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Department of Ecology News Release - Jan. 31, 2005
05-026
BELLEVUE - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has issued a construction stormwater permit that sets terms and conditions to protect water quality while the conveyance system for King County's Brightwater project is being constructed.
The conveyance system's tunnels and pipelines will bring untreated sewage to the treatment plant located near Woodinville and then convey the treated waste water to Puget Sound near Point Wells, where it will be discharged through a deep marine outfall. The conveyance facilities will be constructed mainly in King County, although some of the conveyance system will be located in Snohomish County.
The permit sets limits on turbidity and other measurements of water quality. Turbidity is a measure of the clarity of the storm water that runs off the construction site into waterways.
The permit also requires monitoring of "dewatering" water. To build entrance and exit points for the tunnel-boring machines and other structures, underground water must be pumped from the areas to be excavated. The permit sets terms and conditions for discharging dewatering water before it can be released into streams or back into the ground.
Ecology submitted a draft of the permit for public comment in September and October 2004. The permit is one of several local, state and federal permits King County must obtain to build and operate the project.
The permit, its appendices and companion technical fact sheet are available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/northwest_permits.html.
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Contact: Larry Altose, public information officer, 425-649-7009
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/northwest_permits.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
