Mill Creek outlines stormwater fixes, inspections and outreach to meet state NPDES requirements

Mill Creek staff told the City Council on Jan. 7 that the city is on track to resolve deficiencies tied to its Phase 2 municipal stormwater permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), but that addressing the issues will require sustained operations and an expanded education program.

The city’s stormwater presenter, Reese (stormwater staff), said Mill Creek has been in regular contact with the Washington State Department of Ecology and is negotiating an agreed order that sets deadlines and reporting steps. "The city is working with the Department of Ecology to enter what's called an agreed order," Reese said, describing the back-and-forth needed to align deadlines and to document measures the city has already completed.

Why it matters: The NPDES Phase 2 permit implements Clean Water Act requirements for small municipal separate storm sewer systems. Failure to meet Ecology's deadlines can expose the city to civil penalties and requires the city to put in place systems and procedures to prevent future violations.

City staff told the council the bulk of the compliance work falls into five categories: illicit-discharge detection and elimination; inspection and maintenance (including catch-basin cleanouts); system design documentation; source-control inspections of businesses; and public…