Saving Puget Sound > Sound Science > Water Quality Activities

Puget Sound Water Quality Activities

Puget Sound needs our help. Toxic chemicals are concentrating in the water and entering the food chain. Low oxygen levels caused by nitrogen discharged from septic tanks, sewage treatment plants and other sources are threatening the Sound. The water quality program is working to prevent water pollution, clean up water pollution to restore aquatic habitat, and help communities make sustainable choices.

Controlling Toxic Chemicals in Puget Sound

• Assessment of Selected Toxic Chemicals in the Puget Sound Basin: 2007—2011 (Nov. 2011) - Compiling and synthesizing the previous studies, this assessment incorporates new and more complete data about sources, loading, pathways, and hazards. It also contains recommendations intended to help guide where resources might be directed. Also see the factsheet: Focus on Puget Sound: Puget Sound Toxics Assessment.
• Control of Toxic Chemicals Study - three phases of scientific data about toxic loadings to Puget Sound. Also see the final update from the 3-phase study (Feb. 2011).

Dissolved Oxygen in Puget Sound

Information on what Ecology's Water Quality program is doing to investigate dissolved oxygen and nutrient issues in Puget Sound.

• South Puget Sound Dissolved Oxygen Study - started collecting data in 2006. It focuses on the southern part of Puget Sound.
• Sound-Wide Dissolved Oxygen Model - a new project that extends the work on the South Sound to the rest of Puget Sound.
• Technical and Economic Evaluation of Nutrient Removal Technologies - a new project focused on nutrient removal at wastewater treatment plants. For more information, see Focus on Wastewater Discharges.

Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program

Information on the Puget Sound Coordinated Monitoring Program. The goal of this effort is to provide credible and useful information about the Puget Sound Basin’s freshwater and marine environments and aquatic habitat.

Puget Sound Initiative (PSI) Site Cleanups

In response to the Puget Sound Initiative and increased funding, Ecology has accelerated its efforts to clean and restore contaminated sites within identified priority bays. These areas are the cornerstones of Ecology's approach to protect and restore Puget Sound.