Bill would require Ecology to post and notify public about sewage spills; advocates back transparency, agency flags implementation needs

Senate Bill 5450, discussed in the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on Jan. 31, would require the Department of Ecology to publish a public‑facing website with a mapping interface for reported sewage spills and to implement a public notification system that gives members of the public the option to receive alerts within four hours of Ecology receiving notice of a spill.

Sponsor Sen. Patty Kuderer (Vice Chair Slatter presiding for public testimony in the hearing) and others said the bill is intended to increase transparency and allow residents, recreational users, and businesses to make informed choices about water use and public health. "Hundreds of sewage spills occur in our state every year," a sponsor noted, and multiple witnesses said current reporting is difficult to find and often buried in PDF reports.

Supporters included the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, Washington Conservation Action and Surfrider Foundation, who argued that rapid public notification and easy access to spill data would protect public health, shellfish beds and recreation. Kelsey Payne of the Snoqualmie Tribe said timely public information would help families make decisions about their health and well‑being and foster trust between wastewater managers and communities.

Department of Ecology staff said they support transparency but described practical implementation constraints: Ecology currently receives roughly 300 incident reports a year and its permitting system is not staffed for 24/7 incident posting and notification. Ecology noted the agency does not have the authority or expertise to recommend specific public‑safety responses (for example, whether to close a beach or shellfish harvesting area) — those determinations rest with the Department of Health and local health agencies.

Advocates said other states already provide timely public notice and argued Washington can do the same. Washington Conservation Action reported a volunteer study that found dozens of spills in a single community that were not readily discoverable. Ecology suggested technical changes, such as clarifying which spills trigger public notification and where notification content would come from, and noted a fiscal estimate of roughly $1.1 million to implement the system using the Model Toxics Control operating account.

Committee members asked technical questions and heard multiple offers from stakeholders to assist with implementation details. The bill does not change permit requirements for dischargers; it compiles and publishes reports Ecology already receives and formalizes a timeframe and public‑notification mechanism.